S/PV.5467 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 document S/2006/405, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. I should like to draw the attention of the members of the Council to document S/2006/207, containing a letter dated 31 March 2006 from the Netherlands, and document S/2006/406, containing a letter dated 15 June 2006 from the United Kingdom. It is my understanding that the Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution. Unless I hear any objection, I shall now put the draft resolution to the vote now. There being no objection, it is so decided.

There were 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 1688 (2006). I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements following the voting.

The Russian Federation shares the view of members of the Security Council on the need to hold a trial for former Liberian President Charles Taylor away from the seat of the Special Court for Sierra Leone. We note the constructive role played by the Governments of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, the authorities at the International Criminal Court and the States parties to the Court’s Statute in connection with transferring the trial to The Hague. At the same time, we would like to inform the members of the Council about how we understand the resolution that has just been adopted. The Russian Federation believes that, for the purposes of this resolution, action under Chapter VII of the Charter is unique and exceptional in nature, and does not set a precedent for resolving similar issues in the same way.

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