S/PV.4602 Security Council

I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and of Rwanda, in which they request 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 those representatives 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. 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 expresses its appreciation to the Foreign Ministers of South Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and to the Special Envoy of the President of Rwanda, who participated in its meeting on the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 8 August 2002. “The Security Council welcomes the Peace Agreement of 30 July 2002 between the Governments of the Republic of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Programme of Implementation for the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the dismantling of the ex-FAR and Interahamwe forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (S/2002/914). The Council commends the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda for engaging in direct dialogue on their mutual security concerns and urges them to continue this dialogue. “The Security Council expresses its full support for the implementation of the Peace Agreement. In this regard, the Security Council looks forward to considering as soon as possible the recommendations of the Secretary-General on how MONUC and, through MONUC’s coordination, all relevant United Nations agencies, can assist the parties in their responsibilities to implement the Peace Agreement. “The Security Council commends the Government of the Republic of South Africa for its facilitation of the Peace Agreement and for its further role, together with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, regarding the Peace Agreement. “The Security Council stresses in particular the responsibilities of the two parties set out in the Peace Agreement and implementation plan and calls upon the international community to assist and expedite the carrying out of these responsibilities. “The Security Council reiterates its support for the mandate of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), as established by its resolution 1417 (2002) of 14 June 2002, in particular in the area of voluntary disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, resettlement and reintegration (DDRRR). “The Security Council expresses the importance of close consultations and cooperation between the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and the Republic of South Africa, as well as MONUC and, through MONUC’s coordination, all relevant United Nations agencies on measures that can help implement this Agreement and facilitate voluntary DDRRR. “The Security Council welcomes the commitments of both the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda under the Peace Agreement to cooperate in the identification, disarmament and repatriation of ex-FAR and Interahamwe. The Council urges the parties to the Peace Agreement to make every effort to fully comply with all their obligations in conformity with Security Council resolution 1341 (2001) of 22 February 2001 and the Programme of Implementation of the Peace Agreement. The Security Council also welcomes the commitment of the Government of Rwanda, under the Peace Agreement, regarding the withdrawal of its troops from the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and, in this regard, notes Rwanda’s submission of its initial troop withdrawal plan to the ‘third party’. “The Security Council will remain seized of these matters.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2002/24.

The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.