S/PV.6552 Security Council

There were 14 votes in favour, none against and one abstention. The draft resolution has been adopted as resolution 1984 (2011). I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements after the voting.

Lebanon reaffirms that the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is based on balance between the three pillars of disarmament, non-proliferation and the right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy. For Lebanon and all Arab countries, that balance is the principal avenue for meeting the aspirations of their peoples to a world free of nuclear weapons. As we seek to create such a world, we await the day when the peoples of the Middle East will be able to live in a region free of nuclear weapons similar to other such regions around the world. Despite our awareness that the resolution we have just adopted is purely technical in nature and that many delegations have striven to keep it so, and because Lebanon abstained in the voting on resolution 1929 (2010) — whereby, pursuant to its paragraph 29, the Panel of Experts was established — Lebanon, in line with its consistent position, abstained again today in the voting.

Russia voted in favour of resolution 1984 (2011), which extends the mandate of the Panel of Experts of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006) on sanctions against Iran. The Panel is an important component of the Iranian sanctions regime and does useful and practical work in assisting the 1737 Committee. It collects and verifies facts about possible violations of sanctions, carries out analyses and prepares recommendations and assessments. The results of the Panel of Experts’ work are reflected in its reports. In that connection, it is most important for the Panel to comply strictly with its mandate, act impartially and independently, and use reliable sources of information when preparing its conclusions and recommendations. Unverified or politicized information does not help to promote any initiative of the Security Council or its committees. We note the importance of the experts exercising sensible caution with respect to the information they receive. The goal of the procedure provided for in the resolution adopted today — whereby the Panel of Experts shall provide the 1737 Committee with a preliminary programme of work, with subsequent regular discussions between the Committee and the Panel — is to further enhance the effectiveness of the efforts of that monitoring mechanism. We believe that these efforts can help to ensure useful leadership by the Committee of the Panel’s work. The resolution also stipulates that midterm and final reports of the Panel shall first be provided to the Committee, where members of the Security Council will be able to hold preliminary discussions of the documents with the experts. Such interactive cooperation between States members of the Council with the Panel will enable the detailed consideration of the Panel’s conclusions and recommendations and allow the members to receive, if necessary, more specific information or explanations from the experts on various provisions of the reports and to take into account the national views that have been expressed. It is clear that, following such discussions, the reports submitted by the Panel to the Council will raise fewer questions among members of the Security Council, be more useful and enable the Council to develop an agreed position on the recommendations of the experts. The Russian Federation will continue to cooperate fully with the Panel of Experts of the 1737 Committee.

China voted in favour of resolution 1984 (2011), which extends the mandate of the Panel of Experts of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006). As a component of the Council’s Iranian sanctions regime, the Panel shall work in strict accordance with the mandate established by resolution 1929 (2010) under the direction of the Committee and the principles of impartiality, objectivity and independence. The resolution just adopted further emphasizes those principles and requirements, as well as the importance of credible, fact-based, independent assessments, analysis and recommendations, in accordance with the Panel of Experts’ mandate. It requests the Panel to provide to the Committee a planned programme of work and to heed the opinions of the Committee concerning the midterm and final reports it provides to the Council, in an effort to enhance its communications with the Committee. China hopes that the Panel will adhere strictly to these principles and requirements and play its due role in promoting the comprehensive and effective implementation of the relevant resolutions of the Council.

The United States welcomes the renewal of the Iran Panel of Experts’ mandate today. United Nations sanctions panels are a well-established independent tool for improving the implementation of United Nations sanctions. They play a critical role in enhancing the credibility of Security Council resolutions. The Iran Panel is further evidence of this and deserves our full support. The Panel has conducted excellent investigative work. We welcome the Panel’s professionalism and high standards. The latest report of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) underscores Iran’s continued failure to comply with its international nuclear obligations and its sustained lack of full cooperation with the IAEA. It further demonstrates that Iran has not taken any meaningful steps required of it by this Council or called for by the IAEA Board of Governors. In the light of Iran’s ongoing non-compliance, most notably Iran’s expanded uranium enrichment, it is imperative that the international community strengthen the enforcement of these sanctions. The Panel of Experts offers the Council and its Iran Sanction’s Committee seasoned advice on how to do that. The full implementation of the provisions contained in the Council’s resolutions will send a powerful signal to Iran’s decision makers, as well as constrain Iran’s ability to continue its proliferation-sensitive activities. Today’s vote, combined with the joint statement issued today by China, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, serves to reinforce the unity shared among these countries to resolve our shared concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme.

I welcome the adoption of resolution 1984 (2011), which France, Germany and the United States co-sponsored. The measures adopted by the Security Council are aimed at convincing Iran to negotiate and slow the development of its nuclear and ballistic programme. In order to be effective, they must therefore be fully implemented by all States. The independent Panel of Experts established last year by resolution 1929 (2010) plays a crucial role in ensuring that the measures adopted by the Council are implemented, but also that they continue to be effective and are not violated. The Panel has done outstanding work in just a few months. It has carried out essential awareness-raising work with many Member States to explain the measures adopted by the Council. It has provided valuable analyses and recommendations geared towards understanding and improving the implementation of sanctions. I would like to express our gratitude to all the experts for their professionalism. However, their task is not yet complete — far from it. Iran continues to violate its international obligations, as illustrated by instances of violations reported to the Sanctions Committee and by the latest report of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Much therefore remains to be done. The international community must continue to mobilize in order to strengthen the implementation of the sanctions adopted by the Council. We therefore welcome the renewal of the mandate of the Panel of Experts for another year. This is yet another signal to Iran from the international community about its determination to secure full respect for the Council’s resolutions. Moreover, we await the speedy publication of the Panel’s final report as an official document of the Security Council, in line with the usual practice of sanctions committees. Transparency is crucial in order for all members to be informed and for improving the implementation of sanctions. Lastly, we hope that the Committee will carry out an in-depth discussion of the Panel’s final report, with a view to determining how to follow up the Panel’s recommendations.

By adopting resolution 1929 (2010), one year ago, the Security Council sent out a strong signal of determination to resolve the Iranian nuclear file. One important element of that resolution was the establishment of the Panel of Experts. Germany is of the view that the dual-track strategy can only produce results if the existing measures agreed by the Council are thoroughly implemented. The Panel of Experts has contributed significantly to improving the implementation of existing measures. Germany acknowledges the professionalism and dedication of the eight experts. We would like to seize this opportunity to express our appreciation to the experts in the light of their continued efforts to offer advice to the Council and the Iran Sanctions Committee. We therefore welcome the renewal of the mandate of the Panel of Experts for 12 months. Together with France, the United Kingdom and the United States, we supported this resolution as a co-sponsor. Germany is convinced that the Panel has achieved important tasks. We area also of the view that, as adopted, the text ensures the crucial independence of the Panel. We would like to see the Panel continue its work with the same degree of professionalism as in the past. Let me conclude by highlighting that, together with our partners in the international community, we remain committed to finding a long-lasting and peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear file.

The United Kingdom welcomes the adoption today of resolution 1984 (2011), which extends the work of the Panel of Experts to support the work of the Iran Sanctions Committee. The latest report of the Panel shows that Iran continues to violate the sanctions imposed on it by the Council, as illustrated again this week by Iran’s claim to be increasing 20-per-cent-uranium enrichment. The full implementation of the sanctions is crucial to preventing Iran from further developing its illicit nuclear programmes, and in sending a clear signal to the Iranian regime that its actions aimed at undermining international peace and security will not be tolerated. We believe that the Panel plays a critical role in ensuring the full implementation of the Council’s sanctions on Iran. Just as Iran adapts to evade those sanctions, so must the Council adapt to ensure that the sanctions remain effective. The Panel’s recommendations and its advice to the Council are an essential part of that. As we said when we last me on this issue, the Panel’s final report must be made public. The Council and the wider United Nations membership need the Panel’s advice to guide them in better enforcing the sanctions.

There are no further speakers inscribed on my list. 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.