S/PV.3741 Security Council

I should like at the outset of the meeting to extend, on behalf of the Council, a warm welcome to the new Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, His Excellency Ambassador Bill Richardson. We look forward to cooperating with him in the Council’s work. Adoption of the agenda

I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from the representative of Zaire, in which he requests to be invited to participate in the discussion of the item on the Council’s agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite that representative to participate in the discussion, without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. There being no objection, it is so decided.

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Members of the Council also have before them document S/1997/137, which contains the text of a draft resolution prepared in the course of the Council’s prior consultations. Members of the Council have received photocopies of a letter dated 16 February 1997 from the Chargé d’affaires ad interim of the Permanent Mission of Zaire to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council, which will be issued as document S/1997/138. It is my understanding that the Security Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution (S/1997/137) before it. If I hear no objection, I shall put the draft resolution to the vote now. There being no objection, it is so decided.

There were 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 1097 (1997). The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.