S/PV.3838 Security Council

As this is the first meeting of the Security Council for the month of December, I should like to take this opportunity to pay tribute, on behalf of the Council, to His Excellency Mr. Qin Huasun, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, for his service as President of the Security Council for the month of November 1997. I am sure I speak for all members of the Security Council in expressing deep appreciation to Ambassador Qin for the great diplomatic skill with which he conducted the Council’s business last month. Adoption of the agenda

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/1997/922, which contains the text of a letter dated 22 November 1997 from the Executive Chairman of the Special Commission established by the Secretary-General pursuant to paragraph 9 (b) (i) of Security Council resolution 687 (1991) addressed to the President of the Security Council, transmitting the report of the United Nations Special Commission, established by the Secretary- General pursuant to paragraph 9 (b) (i) of Security Council resolution 687 (1991), on its emergency session. 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 endorses the conclusions and recommendations of the report of the emergency “The Security Council reiterates its demand that Iraq fulfil all its obligations as set out in all the relevant resolutions, including resolution 1137 (1997), and cooperate fully with UNSCOM and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in implementing their respective mandates. The Council stresses that the effectiveness and speed with which UNSCOM may accomplish its responsibilities is, above all, determined by the degree to which the Government of Iraq cooperates in disclosing the full extent and disposition of its proscribed programmes and in granting UNSCOM unimpeded access to all sites, documents, records and individuals. The Council acknowledges the conclusion of the UNSCOM report that UNSCOM respects the legitimate national security, sovereignty and dignity concerns of Iraq in the context of the need for full application of the mandate given to it by the Council. “The Security Council welcomes the progress achieved by UNSCOM and the IAEA in various disarmament areas. The Council encourages intensified efforts, in line with the conclusions and recommendations of the emergency session of UNSCOM, in order to implement fully the UNSCOM and IAEA mandates in each of their respective disarmament areas. The Council acknowledges that, as Iraq complies with its obligations under the relevant resolutions, and UNSCOM and the IAEA so report and the Council agrees, UNSCOM and the IAEA would make the transition from investigation to monitoring in their respective areas, expanding the use of the ongoing monitoring system functioning in Iraq. “The Security Council urges Member States to respond positively to the requests contained in the report of the emergency session of UNSCOM, in particular related to the provision of additional personnel, equipment and information required by UNSCOM and the IAEA for more efficient and effective implementation of their respective mandates. This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/1997/54. The Security Council will remain seized of the matter.