S/PV.3704 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 documents S/1996/774, S/1996/824 and S/1996/847, which contain the text of the letters dated 23 September and 3 and 11 October 1996, respectively, from the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council; and documents S/1996/768 and S/1996/800, which contain the text of the letters dated 23 and 27 September 1996 from the Permanent Representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council and the Secretary-General, respectively. “The Security Council has considered the letters of the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea (S/1996/774, S/1996/824 and S/1996/847) and the letters of the Permanent Representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (S/1996/768 and S/1996/800), regarding the incident of a submarine of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on 18 September 1996. “The Security Council expresses its serious concern over this incident. The Council urges that the Korean Armistice Agreement should be fully observed and that no action should be taken that might increase tension or undermine peace and stability on the Korean peninsula. “The Security Council stresses that the Armistice Agreement shall remain in force until it is replaced by a new peace mechanism. “The Security Council encourages both sides of the Korean peninsula to settle their outstanding issues by peaceful means through dialogue, so that peace and security on the peninsula will be strengthened.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/1996/42. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on the agenda.