S/PV.5275 Security Council

I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda in which they request to be invited to participate in the consideration 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. Members of the Council have before them document S/2005/603, containing the nineteenth report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I should also like to draw the attention of members to document S/2005/620, which contains a letter dated 3 October 2005 from the Permanent Representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo addressed to the President of the Security Council. After consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: (spoke in French) “The Security Council takes note of the special report of the Secretary-General (S/2005/603) dated 26 September 2005, on the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC). It expresses its concern over the presence of foreign armed groups, which continue to pose a serious threat to stability in the eastern part of the country. “The Security Council deplores in this regard the failure of the Forces démocratiques pour la libération du Rwanda (FDLR) to proceed with the disarmament and repatriation of their combatants, and exhorts them to do so without further delay and in accordance with the declaration that they signed in Rome on 31 March 2005. “The Security Council recognizes the attached decision, taken on 16 September 2005 by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, acting within the framework of the Tripartite Plus One Commission, to set the deadline of 30 September 2005 for FDLR to disarm or otherwise to face measures intended to compel them to do so. FDLR can no longer remain as an armed group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “The Security Council demands that FDLR seize this opportunity to proceed voluntarily with their disarmament and return to Rwanda without any delay or preconditions. “The Security Council commends the political and military pressure placed on FDLR by the Congolese Government and MONUC. “The Security Council welcomes the steps taken by the Government of Rwanda, with the support of the international community, to peacefully repatriate FDLR members returning to Rwanda, in accordance with the applicable norms of international law and with respect for the rights and freedoms of the human person. The Council encourages the Government of Rwanda to continue to give the widest publicity to its commitments. “The Security Council demands the full cooperation of FDLR with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, particularly with regard to the arrest and transfer of indictees who remain at large. “Moreover, the Security Council notes with concern the incursion of members of the Lord’s Resistance Army into the Democratic Republic of the Congo and welcomes the intention of the Congolese Armed Forces to disarm this group in cooperation with MONUC and in accordance with its mandate as set out in resolution 1565 (2004). “Further, the Security Council calls upon all armed groups in the Great Lakes region of Africa to act without delay to lay down their arms and join the processes of political transition under way in the region. “The Security Council calls upon the States of the region to deepen their cooperation with a view to putting an end to the activities of illegal armed groups. It recalls its adherence to respect for the sovereignty of all States and underlines that any recourse to the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity of a State is contrary to the purposes and principles set out in the Charter of the United Nations.” (spoke in English) This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2005/46. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.