S/PV.3781 Security Council

I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from the representative of Sierra Leone, 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. Following consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: “The Security Council strongly condemns the violence which has been inflicted on both local and expatriate communities, in particular United Nations and other international personnel serving in the country. It recalls the obligations of all concerned to ensure the protection of United Nations and other international personnel in the country, and calls for an end to the looting of premises and equipment belonging to the United Nations and international aid agencies.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/1997/29. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.