S/PV.4802 Security Council

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 them the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, document S/2003/728. Members of the Council also have before them document S/2003/778, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by France. I should also like to draw attention to the following other documents: S/2003/603 and S/2003/758, letters dated 2 June and 24 July 2003, respectively, from the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary- General; and S/2003/685 and S/2003/698, letters dated 2 July and 9 July 2003, respectively, from the Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of Lebanon to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General. It is my understanding that the Security Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution (S/2003/778) before it. If I hear no objection, I shall now put the draft resolution to the vote. There being no objection, it is so decided.

There were 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 1496 (2003). Before we adjourn, I should like warmly to thank the members of the Secretariat for their effective support to the presidency, for which I am most grateful. I should like also to thank all members of the Council for the unfailing support they provided the Spanish presidency, which made it possible for us to carry out interesting work on behalf of the Security Council and of the United Nations. This work fills me with satisfaction and has made me famous in the international media, particularly among my own people. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.