S/PV.4524 Security Council

As this is the first meeting of the Security Council for the month of May, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute, on behalf of the Council, to His Excellency Mr. Sergey Lavrov, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, for his service as President of the Security Council for the month of April 2002. I am sure that I speak for all members of the Council in expressing deep appreciation to Ambassador Lavrov for the great diplomatic skill with which he conducted the Council’s very active agenda last month. I think that we all admire the way he conducted the Council. Adoption of the agenda

I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from the representative of Somalia 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 have before it the document S/2002/507, which contains the text of a draft resolution prepared in the course of the Council’s prior consultations. It is my understanding that the Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. Unless I hear any 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 1407 (2002). The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.