S/PV.4493 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. After consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: “The Security Council recalls its resolutions 1265 (1999) of 17 September 1999 and 1296 (2000) of 19 April 2000 on the protection of civilians in armed conflict and the letter of 21 June 2001 from the President of the Security Council to the Secretary-General on the protection of civilians in armed conflict (S/2001/614). “The Security Council reaffirms its concern at the hardships borne by civilians during armed conflict and recognizes the consequent impact this has on durable peace, reconciliation and development, bearing in mind its primary responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security, and underlining the importance of taking measures aimed at conflict prevention and resolution. “Having considered the reports of the Secretary-General of 8 September 1999 (S/1999/957) and of 30 March 2001 (S/2001/331) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict and welcoming the close cooperation with the Secretary-General in preparing the aide-memoire attached to this statement, the Security Council adopts the aide-memoire contained in the annex to the presidential statement as a means to facilitate its consideration of issues pertaining to protection of civilians. The Council further emphasizes the need, when considering ways to provide for the protection of civilians in armed conflict, to proceed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the particular circumstances. “The Security Council will review and update the contents of the aide-memoire as appropriate and will remain actively seized of the matter.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2002/6. It was suggested during our discussions that the aide-memoire might need to be updated. Let me say that the innovative manner in which the aide-memoire was developed, through close cooperation between the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the members of the Council, might also usefully be utilized when we update it. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.