S/PV.5883 Security Council

The President: 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/2008/226, which contains the special report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE). Following consultations among the members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: "The Security Council notes that the continuation of Eritrea's obstructions towards UNMEE has reached a level so as to undermine the basis of the Mission's mandate and has compelled UNMEE to temporarily relocate. The Security Council recalls its previous condemnation of Eritrea's lack of cooperation. "The Security Council notes the underlying fundamental issues and stands ready to assist the parties to overcome the current stalemate, taking into account the interests and concerns of both parties. "The Security Council will, in the light of consultations with the parties, decide on the terms of a future United Nations engagement and on the future of UNMEE. "The Security Council stresses, in accordance with its repeated statements, that the primary responsibility for achieving a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the border dispute and normalizing their relations rests with the parties themselves. "The Security Council urges both sides to show maximum restraint and to refrain from any threat or use of force against each other and calls upon the parties to address forthwith the unresolved issues in accordance with the commitments made in the Algiers Agreements." This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under symbol S/PRST/2008/12. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The meeting rose at 9.25 pm. 08-32366