S/PV.4667 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. Members of the Council have before them document S/2002/1351, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by the United States of America. I shall first give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements before the voting.

The Syrian Arab Republic will vote against the draft resolution before us because the sponsor of the draft resolution insists on using language that deviates from the main purpose of the draft resolution, which is to condemn the act of international terrorism carried out in Kikambala, Kenya, which led to the death of a number of innocent civilians. We would like to state that Syria was among the first to support the two earlier Security Council resolutions, resolutions 1438 (2002) and 1440 (2002), which condemned the tragic events in Bali and in Moscow respectively. It was our hope that a draft resolution on the events that occurred in Kenya would be unanimously adopted by the Council, and that it would be on the pattern of the two aforementioned resolutions, rather than having its scope expanded to include elements that imply direct intervention in the internal affairs of the country where the events took place. are concerned also about the unacceptable political references that reflect negatively on the situation in the Middle East region, including the situation in the occupied Arab territories. Such references do not accord with our understanding of, or position on, the situation. Nor does the attempt to link Israel to efforts to combat terrorism; this exploits the international campaign against terrorism. During the consultations on this draft resolution, Syria expressed its wish that its sponsors would take into consideration our view that the draft resolution be amended along the lines of the resolutions adopted on Bali and on Moscow. Regrettably, our efforts and those of many other Council members to that effect did not yield the desired results. In order to further clarify our position, we wish to emphasize the following. First, Syria unreservedly condemns the terrorist attack perpetrated in Kikambala, Kenya, which led to the deaths of a number of innocent civilians and reaffirms its sincere solidarity with the Government and the people of Kenya in the face of such terrorist attacks. Secondly, Syria reiterates its condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and reaffirms its commitment to Security Council resolution 1373 (2001) and its commitment to combating international terrorism. Finally, Syria will vote against the draft resolution before us because it cannot accept its repeated mention of Israel in a manner that is not in keeping with the wording of the resolutions on Bali and on Moscow. The draft resolution repeats the name of Israel at a time when Israel is practising the worst forms of terrorism and daily committing crimes against humanity in the occupied Arab territories, the latest of which killed 10 innocent Palestinian civilians in the Boreij refugee camp on 6 December and five innocent civilians in Gaza this morning — on the very day when we are about to vote on this draft resolution — not to mention the fact that Israel has killed three United Nations international civil servants during the past two weeks alone. Those considerations oblige us to vote against the draft resolution.

It is my understanding that the Security 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.

The result of the voting is as follows: 14 votes in favour, one vote against and no abstentions. The draft resolution has been adopted as resolution 1450 (2002). The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.