S/PV.3922 Security Council

I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 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 the members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: “The Security Council expresses its deep concern about the current conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which poses a serious threat to regional peace and security. The Security Council expresses alarm at the plight of the civilian population throughout the country. The Security Council reaffirms the obligation to respect the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other States in the region and the need for all States to refrain from any interference in each other’s internal affairs. In this context, the Council calls for a peaceful solution to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including an immediate ceasefire, the withdrawal of all foreign forces, and the initiation of a peaceful process of political dialogue with a view to The Security Council urges all parties to respect and protect human rights and respect humanitarian law, in particular the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the Additional Protocols of 1977, as applicable to them. It condemns reported summary executions, torture, harassment and detention of civilians based on their ethnic origin, the recruitment and use of child soldiers, the killing or wounding of combatants who have laid down their weapons, hate propaganda, sexual violence and other abuses by any side. In particular, the Council calls for the protection of the civilian population. It recalls the unacceptability of the destruction or rendering useless of objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, and in particular of using cuts in the electricity and water supply as a weapon against the population. The Council reaffirms that all persons who commit or order the commission of grave breaches of the above- mentioned instruments are individually responsible in respect of such breaches. “The Security Council calls for safe and unhindered access for humanitarian agencies to all those in need in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It calls for unrestricted access by the ICRC to all detainees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It urges all parties to guarantee the safety and security of United Nations and humanitarian personnel. “The Security Council encourages the Secretary-General to continue to consult, as a matter of urgency, with regional leaders in coordination with the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) about ways to bring about a peaceful and durable solution to the conflict, and to keep it informed about developments and his own efforts. It reaffirms the importance of holding an international conference on peace, security and “The Security Council will follow the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo closely. It will remain actively seized of the matter.” The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on the agenda.