S/PV.5343 Security Council

As this is the first meeting of the Security Council this year, I should like to extend my very warm wishes for a fruitful New Year to all members of the Security Council, the United Nations and the Secretariat. On behalf of the Council, I welcome the new members, namely the Congo, Ghana, Peru, Qatar and Slovakia. We all look forward to their participation in the work of the Council. We are convinced that their experience and wisdom will be of invaluable assistance in the discharge of the Council’s responsibilities. I shall take this opportunity to express the Council’s deep gratitude to the outgoing members, namely Algeria, Benin, Brazil, the Philippines and Romania, for their important contributions to the business of the Council. Expression of thanks to the outgoing President

I should like also to take this opportunity to pay tribute, on behalf of the Council, to Sir Emyr Jones Parry, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom, for his service as President of the Security Council for the month of December 2005. I am sure I speak for all members of the Council in expressing deep appreciation to Ambassador Jones Parry for the great diplomatic skill with which he conducted the Council’s business last month. Adoption of the agenda

I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from the representative of Haiti in which he requests 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 that representative to participate in the consideration 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 continue 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 reiterates its full support for the work of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and the Special Representative of the Secretary- General, Mr. Juan Gabriel Valdés. “The Security Council reiterates that the future holding of elections is a fundamental step towards the restoration of democracy and stability in Haiti. The Council takes note with concern of the new postponement of the elections in Haiti and, in this regard, trusts that the delay in the electoral calendar will enable the resolution of logistical and technical problems in order to ensure transparent, inclusive, free and fair elections. “The Security Council urges the Transitional Government of Haiti and the Conseil Electoral Provisoire to expeditiously announce new and definitive dates for the elections, the first round to be held within weeks, but no later than 7 February 2006, and to ensure that the elections will take place in accordance with international democratic standards and under conditions conducive to the widest possible participation. The Council calls upon all relevant international stakeholders to continue to collaborate closely with the Transitional Government of Haiti and other national authorities in this endeavour. The revised electoral calendar and corresponding budget should be realistic and comprehensive, and encompass national, municipal and local elections. “The Security Council reaffirms that security remains an essential element for the holding of free and equitable elections. The Council expresses its concern over the deterioration of security conditions in Port-au- Prince and urges the Haitian National Police and MINUSTAH to continue their efforts to further intensify their cooperation to improve the security situation in order to restore and maintain the rule of law. In this regard, the Council pays tribute to those MINUSTAH peacekeepers who have been killed or injured in the line of duty. “The Security Council is of the view that, after the elections, a period of fundamental importance for long-term stability will follow. National reconciliation and political dialogue should continue to be promoted as a means to ensure long-term stability and good governance. “The Security Council reaffirms that open and credible elections, based on ownership by the Haitian people, are paramount to the consolidation of democratic institutions and procedures, but it recognizes at the same time that they do not constitute the sole means to address the longer-term problems that Haiti faces in the security sector and in the restoration of the rule of law, both of which are critical to stability and sustainable development. The Council welcomes, accordingly, the decision taken by the donor community to extend the Interim Cooperation Framework until December 2007 in order to assist the new elected Government to continue reconstruction efforts. The Council reaffirms that short-, medium- and long-term strategies, within a unified framework, are needed to ensure coordination and continuity in the international assistance to Haiti.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2006/1. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.