S/PV.3590 Security Council

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Members of the Council have before them document S/1995/914, which contains the note dated 1 November 1995 by the Secretary-General concerning the date of an election to fill a vacancy in the International Court of Justice. That note explains the need for the item on our agenda. The death of Judge Andrés Aguilar Mawdsley of Venezuela, on 24 October 1995, has created a vacancy in the International Court of Justice which will have to be filled. Judge Aguilar Mawdsley became a member of the Court as from 6 February 1991. Judge Aguilar Mawdsley was a diplomat and eminent jurist who was educated in Venezuela and Canada. He held several teaching posts in his country and between 1958 and 1962 he rose to become professor and Vice-Rector at the Andrés Bello Catholic University in Caracas. He was his country’s Minister of Justice until 1963. Judge Aguilar Mawdsley was Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva from 1963 to 1965, Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 1969 to 1972 and Ambassador to the United States of America from 1972 to 1974. He held posts in several organizations concerned with social welfare and education and in that context was a member of several International Labour Organization committees and President Judge Aguilar Mawdsley’s term of office would have expired on 5 February 2000. Under Article 14 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice, the Security Council is to fix the date for the election to fill the vacancy in the Court. As agreed during our prior consultations on this matter, the election could take place on 28 February 1996 at a meeting of the Security Council and at a meeting of the General Assembly at its fiftieth session. Members of the Council also have before them document S/1995/928, which contains the text of a draft resolution prepared in the course of the Council’s prior consultations. The date “28 February 1996” should be entered in the operative paragraph of the draft resolution. May I take it that the Council is ready to proceed to a decision on the draft resolution? There being no objection, it is so decided. In the light of consultations which I have held, it is my understanding that the Council is ready to adopt the draft resolution contained in document S/1995/928 without a vote. There being no objection, it is so decided. The draft resolution has been adopted as resolution 1018 (1995). The Security Council has thus concluded its consideration of the item on the agenda.