S/PV.6607 Security Council

Allow me at the outset to echo your words of recognition and gratitude, Sir, to Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri and his entire delegation for the efficient and dedicated manner in which they led our work during their presidency of the Council in August. I am also very pleased to be the first member of the Security Council to warmly welcome you, Mr. President, and to congratulate you on your assumption of the presidency for this month, which is going to be a very busy one. We wish you every success. In my capacity as Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006), I shall now give my briefing, which I shall deliver in English. (spoke in English) Today, I am very pleased to present to the Security Council the nineteenth 90-day report in accordance with paragraph 18 (h) of resolution 1737 (2006). The report covers the period from 24 June to 1 September 2011, during which time the Committee held no meetings but conducted its work using the no-objection procedure. I would like to begin by congratulating the Panel of Experts, which was formally reappointed by the Secretary-General on 30 June following the adoption of resolution 1984 (2011) on 9 June, by which the Security Council decided to extend until 9 June 2012 the mandate of the Panel. During the reporting period, the Committee revised the guidelines for the conduct of its work, which were approved on 19 August by the members of the Committee and will be posted on the Committee’s web page in due course. The Committee also updated its programme of work, which is currently under consideration by the members of the Committee. The Committee continues to consider a series of draft implementation assistance notices prepared by the Panel. The Panel submitted its own programme of work to the Committee, as required by paragraph 3 of resolution 1984 (2011). The Panel also provided to the Committee its second quarterly assessment of Member States’ implementation reports under paragraph 31 of resolution 1929 (2010). From 29 to 30 August, the Panel visited Brazil to hold consultations with relevant Government agencies on the implementation of Security Council resolutions. During the current reporting period, the Committee received additional information from a Member State on a previously reported incident of an alleged violation of paragraph 5 of resolution 1747 (2007). The Committee encouraged the Member State to invite the Panel to visit the concerned State in support of its inquiry into this matter. The Committee also received a joint communication from four Member States reporting “a violation of paragraph 9 of resolution 1929 (2010)”. The Committee sought the full cooperation from the four Member States and is currently examining this alleged violation with the assistance of the Panel. The Committee received three notifications: one from a Member State confirming, in response to the Committee’s earlier request for information, that none of the individuals and entities designated by the Committee’s consolidated list had been found to own companies or shares under its jurisdiction; one from a Member State informing the Committee of its successful disposal, with the assistance of another competent Member State, of the confiscated cargo aboard the vessel M/V Hansa India; and one from a Member State pursuant to paragraph 15 of resolution 1737 (2006) and paragraph 4 of resolution 1747 (2007), indicating its intention to authorize the release of funds in order to make a payment due under a contract entered into prior to the listing of an entity. The Committee answered a written query from a Member State seeking clarifications about its presumed involvement in an incident of illegal arms trans-shipment previously reported by another Member State. The Committee was able to confirm, with the support of the Panel, that the inquiring Member State was not involved in this incident. In following up on two other written queries from two separate Member States — one concerning energy cooperation with an Iranian company and the other related to specific information about financial transactions — the Committee is still awaiting additional information in order to provide appropriate responses to the two Member States. This concludes my briefing to the Security Council today.

I now give the floor to the members of the Council.

Let me begin by congratulating you, Mr. President, on assuming the presidency of the Council and thanking Ambassador Puri and the Indian delegation for their leadership last month. I would also like to thank Ambassador Osorio for his report and briefing today. We appreciate his continued leadership as Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006). The most recent report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General, released just last week, once again highlights Iran’s failure to comply with its international nuclear obligations and its violations of several Security Council resolutions. Iran refuses to address outstanding issues related to its nuclear programme. The Director General reports that Iran is continuing enrichment and heavy water-related activities, in defiance of both the Council and the IAEA Board of Governors. Iran still refuses to respond substantively to information regarding possible military dimensions to Iran’s nuclear programme. Iran’s reported installation of centrifuges at Qom constitutes yet another intentional violation of Security Council resolutions and a clear provocation. This is unacceptable. We condemn Iran’s persistent refusal to fulfil its international nuclear obligations. Iran’s actions underscore the continuing necessity of full enforcement of sanctions by the international community in order to motivate Iran to comply with those obligations and to deny it the ability to advance its proscribed programmes. The United States encourages the 1737 Committee to enhance its efforts to actively implement its mandate. We are pleased that the Committee has concluded its review of the Panel of Experts’ useful and informative final report. We are also pleased that the Committee has started to act on a number of the Panel’s excellent recommendations. However, much work remains to be done. We urge the Committee to take steps to complete this work and implement the Panel’s recommendations as soon as possible. I should also like to stress that my Government remains seriously concerned at the fact that the Panel of Experts’ final report has not yet been posted to the Committee’s website. We strongly believe that this report must be made available to all States Members of the United Nations as soon as possible, as it highlights information and best practices that can help States carry out their obligations. Furthermore, failure to circulate these documents contravenes the Committee’s commitment to transparency and undermines the entire purpose behind having a Panel of Experts. We urge a prompt solution to this impasse. Since we last met, the United States, along with France, Germany and the United Kingdom, reported Iran’s violation of paragraph 9 of resolution 1929 (2010), which prohibits Iran from launches using ballistic-missile technology. My Government stands ready to cooperate fully with the Committee and its Panel of Experts in their investigation of this violation. We encourage all Member States to report sanctions violations to the Committee and the Panel of Experts. The United States remains dedicated to preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Iran’s nuclear intentions are a major concern, not just for the United States but for the region, the Council and the world. Let there be no doubt that the United States is committed to a dual-track policy of applying pressure in pursuit of a diplomatic resolution of international concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear activities. We also remain committed to working closely with our partners in the 1737 Committee, the Panel of Experts and the Council on this important issue. Our joint efforts will demonstrate the international community’s resolve to address Iran’s continued disregard of its international nuclear obligations. We have made important progress in strengthening our implementation and enforcement of United Nations sanctions on Iran. We must now redouble our efforts to sharpen the choice for Iran’s leaders to abandon their dangerous course.

I, too, should like to wish you, Sir, every success in your presidency, which is just beginning, and I should like also to thank Ambassador Puri and his team for their presidency during the month of August. I should like to start by thanking Ambassador Osorio for his 90-day report. Iran remains at the core of our concerns. Currently the international community is focusing its attention more closely elsewhere — Syria and Libya — and Iran may believe that it can profit from that state of affairs. It has redoubled its efforts, it is increasing the number of centrifuges, and it is making ever more provocative statements. But we are not misled by all this, as was underscored by the President of the Republic last week. Iran’s military, nuclear and ballistic ambitions pose a growing threat. For a number of years, Iran has pursued, in violation of international law, a policy of fait accompli. After having for 20 years carried out a clandestine nuclear programme, in violation of its safeguards agreement, Iran has refused to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and it continues, despite six Security Council resolutions, to enrich uranium, supposedly for peaceful purposes — in spite of the absence of any credible electronuclear programmes on its territory. Alarming signs are increasing. The Iranian regime is releasing information in small doses so as to mitigate its impact and importance, but it is no less serious. Thus in February 2010 Iran began to enrich its uranium to 20 percent, thus bringing it even closer to the military threshold, supposedly with the sole goal of fuelling the Tehran Research Reactor. In June last, it stated that it planned to increase threefold its 20 per cent uranium production, and on 22 August it announced the establishment of the first centrifuges at the Qom facility — a facility whose existence was hidden and was only revealed by the international community in September 2009. Let us also recall that the site’s history and ultimate objectives remain unknown, as Iran refuses to provide the Agency with all of the clarifications that it is seeking. Let us also recall that in 2009 Iran had announced that the Qom site was to produce low-enriched 3.5 per cent uranium. Now, however, we have been told that it will be used to produce 20 per cent enriched uranium. Finally, on 30 August, Iran declared that it was no longer interested in an offer concerning the Tehran Nuclear Reactor, because it had produced all of the 20 per cent uranium necessary to that reactor. Fundamental questions therefore arise. Why is Iran continuing to produce 20 per cent uranium, given that the supply for the Tehran Research Reactor is already guaranteed? Why is it transferring production of 20 per cent enriched uranium to the Qom facility, a bunkerized installation designed for military use — an installation that was built secretly and that could be easily and quickly reconfigured so as to produce uranium enriched at a rate higher than 20 per cent. On all those issues, Iran owes the international community some answers. However, it has refused to tell the IAEA the full truth. In that context, the most recent report of the Agency, which we received on Friday, only intensifies our concerns. The Agency has indicated yet again that it is unable to confirm that all nuclear material in Iran is being used for peaceful purposes. Above all, the Agency underscores the fact that it is increasingly concerned by the possible existence in Iran of secret activities, past or present — and I underscore the word “present” — related to a possible military aspect of the Iranian programme concerning the development of a nuclear payload for a ballistic missile. The Agency has indicated that it continues to receive data on that issue that are detailed and exhaustive. Furthermore, they are for the most part consistent and credible with regard to their technical precision, the time periods during which the activities took place, as well as the names of individuals and entities that were involved. The serious and worrisome data on activities related to the design and fabrication of nuclear weapons are a serious concern for the international community. This is in addition to Iran’s continued undertaking of a ballistic and space programme, which jeopardizes the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. We call on the Director General of the IAEA to continue ceaselessly his activities aimed at investigating this key issue. In view of the challenge posed by the Iranian nuclear crisis, we have no choice but to remain unified and resolute. The sanctions that have been adopted by the international community have had an impact that we should not underestimate. They have already led to concrete results, as the final report of the Panel of Experts explains in detail. We must therefore continue rigorously to implement those sanctions in order to persuade the Iranian regime to negotiate and to return to the path of international law. That will require first of all a firm response to violations. These are multiple in nature and concern all categories of measures adopted by the Security Council. I am thinking in particular of the violations of the arms embargo. Iran is producing flows of arms, with, in particular, the active support of Syria, thus threatening the security of neighbouring countries as well as countries in already unstable regions. Allow me to recall also that France, working together with the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany, has already notified the Committee of the launching of the Rassad-1 satellite on 14 June last. That is a clear violation of paragraph 9 of resolution 1929 (2010). We must also enhance the implementation of sanctions when necessary. The Panel of Experts has issued several recommendations in that respect. We hope that the Committee will follow up and that in particular it will designate the individuals and entities involved in the violations. We therefore once again request that the final report of the Panel be published, in accordance with the ongoing practice of sanctions committees and for the legitimate reason of transparency with regard to other Member States. As the heads of State and Government of the Group of Eight indicated in Deauville at the end of May, we will determine, on the basis of Iran’s conduct, the need to take additional measures, in keeping with the dual-track strategy that we have ceaselessly pursued jointly with our partners in the group of six States. Iran affirms that its nuclear programme is civilian, but it produces uranium at levels that are increasingly near the military threshold in ever larger quantities and in bunkerized facilities. Iran affirms that its nuclear programme is civilian, but the IAEA itself affirms its growing concern about the possible military dimension of the Iranian programme. In view of the serious facts pointed out by the Agency, we need specific actions, not empty words or promises that simply seek to gain time. Iran must demonstrate to us its resolve for sincere negotiations, to shed all possible light on the issues raised by the IAEA, and to respond to the repeated demands of the Council.

Let me join my colleagues in congratulating you, Mr. President, on Lebanon’s assumption of the presidency of the Council for this month. Our best wishes accompany you. Let me equally thank our neighbours and colleagues from India for their leadership last month. I thank Ambassador Osorio for his briefing. As the report of the Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006) points out, Iran is in continued violation of its international obligations. New sanctions violations have been reported. Iran is increasing its enrichment capacities and transferring centrifuges to its enrichment facility near Qom. It is unfortunate that we have to observe further Iranian activities disregarding the Council’s resolutions. Together with our partners France, the United Kingdom and the United States, we have reported yet another violation. The launch of the Rassad-1 satellite on 14 June was a clear breach of paragraph 9 of resolution 1929 (2010). The latest report of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) highlights in no uncertain terms that the Agency is increasingly concerned about the possibility that Iran may have conducted undisclosed nuclear-related activities involving military or related organizations. My country is concerned about the fact that the Agency continues to receive new information with regard to the development of a nuclear payload for a missile. The Agency reports that it has received new information on the weaponization from various sources. According to the IAEA, the information is broadly consistent and credible. We call on Iran finally to engage with the Agency on the resolution of all outstanding issues in order to make sure that there is no military dimension to Iran’s nuclear programme. The dual-track strategy offers two options. We continue to be ready to engage Iran in meaningful negotiations on its nuclear programme in the framework of the engagement track. That is our preferred choice. However, as long as Iran does not cooperate to the extent necessary, we see no other option but to pursue the pressure track. My country attaches great importance to the proper implementation of sanctions, as agreed by the Council. Germany believes that that remains vital in order to keep up the pressure on Iran and make it come back to the negotiating table. The 1737 Committee continues to play a vital role in pursuing the dual-track strategy vis-à-vis Iran. Let me thank the Panel of Experts for its valuable work. We particularly welcome the five implementation assistance notices that are currently under consideration by the Committee. We believe that those documents can provide more clarity on how to better implement sanctions and avoid new violations. On 7 May, the Panel of Experts presented its final report. We deeply regret that that comprehensive report is yet to be published. For the sake of transparency, my delegation reiterates its call for the report to be published. Germany continues to be concerned about the numerous cases of weapons exports from Iran to other countries, often to Syria, which are in violation of the Council’s resolutions. We call on all Member States to carefully implement the weapons embargo, as stipulated in paragraph 5 of resolution 1747 (2007). Let me reiterate that, together with our partners in the international community, in particular in the framework of the E3+3, we remain committed to finding a sustainable and peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear file. We affirm our unity of purpose and determination, working through direct diplomacy. We call on Iran to respond in a positive and constructive spirit to our offers of engagement.

We thank the Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006), Permanent Representative of Columbia Néstor Osorio, for his briefing on the work of the Committee over the past three months. The Committee has worked actively in the reporting period in strict compliance with its mandate. The Committee must continue to work specifically along those lines, as must its Panel of Experts, which provides useful and practical assistance to the Committee. It is extremely important that the work of the experts be impartial and independent, and that they use only reliable sources and verified information. Russia strictly complies with all requirements of the sanctions regime against Iran. By and large, we believe that in order to ensure the maximum effectiveness of that regime, all members of the international community must strictly comply with the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, and not deviate from them. With respect to the current situation regarding Iran’s nuclear programme, we have consistently been in favour of resolving all problems through dialogue with the Iranian side. We are convinced that, with no alternative to a political and diplomatic approach, we must find compromise solutions that would enable us to move towards the stated aim of removing any doubt over the purely peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear programme. Iran will then be able to fully enjoy all the rights of a non-nuclear weapon State under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Russia will do its utmost for the swift resumption of talks between the E3+3 and Iran.

At the outset, I should like to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your assumption of the presidency of the Council for this month. I also thank the Ambassador of India and his team for their important contribution to the smooth conduct of the Council’s work last month. I also wish to thank Ambassador Osorio for his report on the activities of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006) over the past 90 days, and to commend the many activities that the Committee has carried out under his leadership. China has always attached importance to the work of the Committee, and will continue to provide active support. Meanwhile, we also expect the Panel of Experts to continue to carry out its work under the leadership of the Committee, as mandated by resolution 1737 (2006), in an objective and prudent manner in order to truly facilitate its comprehensive and effective implementation. China has consistently believed that dialogue and negotiations are the only way to achieve a comprehensive, lasting and appropriate settlement of the issue of Iran’s nuclear capabilities and to meet the common interests of the international community. We hope that all parties will move towards each other, address difficulties, intensify their diplomatic efforts, use innovative thinking and adopt new measures to foster mutual trust and create the conditions for the appropriate settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue. China notes the latest report of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Iran’s nuclear issues. China has always believed that, as a State party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Iran enjoys the right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy and should fulfil its international obligations. At the same time, China hopes that Iran and the IAEA can maintain and strengthen their dialogue and cooperation and achieve effective solutions to the relevant problems, with a view to strengthening the international community’s confidence in the peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear programme. In the current circumstances, it is more important than ever to continue to work steadfastly towards dialogue and negotiation in order to arrive at a proper solution to the Iranian nuclear issue, since that will contribute materially to the maintenance of peace and stability in the Middle East. China is confident that, so long as all parties concerned display belief and patience, take a flexible and pragmatic approach, work on bringing positive elements to bear and take the initiative to build up mutual trust, progress will be made in the conduct of dialogue and negotiations.

Let me congratulate you, Mr. President, on Lebanon’s assumption of the presidency of the Council for the month of September, and offer you our best wishes. At the same time, I would like to thank Ambassador Puri and his team for their very competent conduct of our work in the month of August. I also thank the Permanent Representative of Colombia, Ambassador Néstor Osorio, for his briefing on the activities of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006). Brazil has closely followed the work of the Committee under his competent leadership. We have taken note of the Committee’s revised guidelines for the conduct of its work, which should help it to fulfil its mandate more efficiently. As Ambassador Osorio mentioned in his briefing, the Panel of Experts visited Brazil last week. The purpose of the visit was to hold consultations with the Brazilian authorities on issues pertaining to the Panel’s mandate, including implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions and the side effects of sanctions on legitimate trade. A number of meetings were held in Brasilia between the experts and relevant Government officials on areas such as maritime transportation, inspections of ships, customs, export controls, trade, finance, bank transactions and immigration policy controls. The successful visit gave the Panel the opportunity to be informed about regulations and procedures in place in Brazil, and will certainly contribute to further enhancing the constructive dialogue we have had with the experts on a regular basis. Unfortunately, there is no progress reported on the negotiations dealing with the Iranian nuclear issue. We regret this situation and reaffirm our understanding that without mutual trust, progress on this issue will remain elusive. Brazil has encouraged the Iranian Government to cooperate fully and promptly with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to clarify all outstanding issues. While we share the goal of ensuring that Iran’s nuclear programme is entirely peaceful, we expect Tehran to respond to the international community’s legitimate concerns. At the same time, we reiterate the sovereign right of Iran, like any other State, to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy under IAEA safeguards.

Like others, let me start by thanking Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri and his team for the very competent way they conducted the work of the Council last month, and by wishing you, Mr. President, every success in your efforts during Lebanon’s presidency of the Council and assuring you of our constant support. I thank Ambassador Néstor Osorio for his comprehensive briefing on the activities of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006) on Iran, and wish to congratulate him on his very efficient stewardship of the Committee. I would like to commend the work of the 1737 Committee, particularly the review of the document on guidelines and the ongoing update of the programme of work, which are both very useful tools for improving the efficiency of the existing regime. I reiterate our full support for the Panel of Experts, mindful of the vital role it has to play in assisting the Committee. I would also like to express my appreciation for the meaningful recommendations they made to the Committee in May. I trust that some of the Panel’s valuable suggestions will soon be translated into concrete measures. In this regard, I must say that I continue to be convinced of the usefulness of publicizing the final report of the Panel of Experts as soon as possible, thus making important and helpful information available to all United Nations Member States. Our concern over Iranian nuclear activities, as well as over the development of its ballistic missile capabilities, has not diminished during the past three months. We took note of the mention in the last report on Iran by the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Authority that, in response to an invitation from the Iranian authorities, the Deputy Director General for Safeguards, Mr. Herman Nackaerts, recently visited the country. That is an encouraging development, and I sincerely hope that this initiative is meant to indicate that Iran has the intention of significantly improving its cooperation with the Agency. But the pending issues that Iran has to clarify go far beyond a single visit to the country by Agency officials. The Director General’s report stresses that Iran has not suspended its enrichment-related activities. In the meantime, the Agency is still waiting for a thorough response to a number of pending questions regarding those activities, and for further information in connection with Iran’s announcement that 10 new Iranian enrichment facilities will be built in the near future. The same opaque situation applies with regard to heavy water-related projects; those projects were not suspended and may begin to be operational by the end of 2013. We regret that to date Iran has not provided the Agency with access to these facilities. In such circumstances, it is impossible for the Agency to fully affirm the exclusively peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear programme. In order to restore international confidence, Iran must without delay grant unlimited access to all its nuclear sites, equipment and personnel, and show genuine willingness to provide the Agency with previously requested documentation and all relevant information, in accordance with Iran’s safeguards agreement and subsidiary arrangements.

We join others in congratulating you, Mr. President, on Lebanon’s assumption of the presidency for September, and express our gratitude to India for its able stewardship of the Council in August. We would also like to thank Ambassador Néstor Osorio of Colombia for his briefing on the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006). South Africa reiterates its concern regarding the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction. We believe that the ongoing possession of nuclear weapons, irrespective of where they are, continues to pose a threat and a danger to international peace and security. We therefore pledge our support to the Chair of the Committee, with the understanding that South Africa would neither accept a nuclear-weaponized Iran nor the denial of the right of any signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to exploit peaceful applications of nuclear technology, with appropriate safeguards. South Africa, however, remains deeply concerned about the fact that it continues to be impossible for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to provide credible assurances regarding the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme, and strongly urges Iran to cooperate fully with the IAEA to resolve this outstanding issue. The IAEA is the only international authority that can verify and provide the necessary assurances as to the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme. South Africa is pleased that the 1737 Committee has been able to engage in a constructive dialogue on the matters before us. The revised guidelines for the conduct of our work have provided us with a good way forward on the implementation of the current sanctions regime. We trust that the discussions of the programme of work will continue in the same constructive manner. We also believe that the implementation assistance notices provided by the Panel of Experts are a good basis and a work-in-progress at this stage. We trust that constructive political dialogue will continue, with the goal of peaceful resolution of this dispute.

Allow me to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of September. Let me also extend our warm appreciation to the Permanent Representative of India and his delegation for the wonderful work they did last month. I would also like to thank Ambassador Néstor Osorio for his succinct briefing and commend his excellent leadership of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006). We appreciate the work done by the Committee in the past three months in furtherance of its mandate. We congratulate the members of the Panel of Experts on their reappointment and plan to continue to work with them and the Committee in promoting a more secure world. It is encouraging that Member States have continued to report incidents of non-compliance to the 1737 Committee in addition to extending the necessary support to the Panel of Experts in its investigations. Many of the subsequent investigations by the Panel, including the January visit to Nigeria, concern Iran’s transfer of conventional arms and related materiel prohibited under resolution 1747 (2007). This development is worrisome given the devastating effect of small arms on the security, stability and development of countries and regions. Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have consistently voiced their concerns about the growing trend in arms trafficking in the subregion, which infringes on the provisions of the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Their Ammunition and Other Related Materials. We therefore urge Member States to maintain a high level of vigilance in monitoring and curtailing these movements pursuant to resolution 1747 (2007) and to uphold the obligations under the various negotiated instruments on small arms. They should also report alleged sanctions violations to the Committee and cooperate with the Panel of Experts in its investigation of incidents of non-compliance. It is essential that States be provided with the resources, facilities and expertise necessary to enhance their ability to fulfil their obligations under these resolutions. We further encourage the Panel of Experts to continue to examine these activities to determine if there are any patterns of sanctions violations and circumventions. Nigeria has the utmost respect for the multilateral accountability and transparency mechanisms for arms transfers, including United Nations treaties and protocols dedicated to covering illicit transfers of conventional arms. We have further demonstrated our commitment to this noble goal by signing the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons. We believe that complementary action at the regional and international levels on the marking and tracing of arms will be helpful in underpinning the achievements recorded thus far in the West African subregion. The recent report of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) indicates that Iran has not fully met its obligations, nor has it established international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear programme. We call on Iran to extend full cooperation to the IAEA and respect its obligations under the resolutions of the Security Council. We therefore urge Iran to engage in constructive dialogue as an expression of its commitment to a peaceful nuclear programme.

Please allow me at the outset, Sir, to congratulate you on assuming the presidency of the Security Council. Please rest assured of our fullest cooperation. I would also like to take this opportunity to express our deep appreciation for the warm words you had for our Permanent Representative and for all the words of appreciation and thanks that were expressed by other members of the Council. I would like to join other colleagues in thanking Ambassador Néstor Osorio for presenting the 90-day report of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006). We commend his stewardship of the Committee and the professionalism with which the Committee has been implementing its mandate. We have noted the work done by the Committee during the reporting period, including its finalization of the revised guidelines for the conduct of the Committee’s work. We hope that the Committee will soon approve its updated programme of work. Reappointment of the Panel of Experts consequent upon the adoption of resolution 1984 (2011) should facilitate the Committee’s work. We appreciate the quarterly update prepared by the Panel of Experts assessing the implementation reports of Member States submitted during the period from 1 May to 31 July 2011. We encourage the Panel to continue its work impartially, independently and transparently, based on verifiable information under the Committee’s direction, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. I would like to reiterate India’s consistent stand on the Iranian nuclear issue. We support the right of all States, including Iran, to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Exercise of this right should, however, be consistent with their international obligations. We believe that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) should play a central role in the resolution of technical issues concerning the Iranian nuclear programme. The issues should be resolved peacefully through dialogue and negotiations. Iran should cooperate fully with the IAEA to restore international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear programme. We support all efforts aimed at the peaceful resolution of the issue. We also call upon all sides to fully implement the resolutions adopted by the Security Council. There should be no violation of the measures mandated in those resolutions. At the same time, all efforts should be made to ensure that the legitimate trade and economic activities of Iranian entities and those of other countries do not suffer. In conclusion, I would like to assure the Chairman of the 1737 Committee that we will continue to work cooperatively with the other members of the Committee and contribute constructively to the Committee’s work.

Allow me to join others in congratulating you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council and also to thank the Indian delegation for the excellent work done during its presidency in August. I would also like to join colleagues in thanking Ambassador Osorio for his briefing on the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006) during the past 90 days. Bosnia and Herzegovina appreciates the work of the Committee, which is of crucial importance for enforcement of the Iran sanctions regime. We welcome the adoption of the Committee’s guidelines for the conduct of its work, aimed at improving the implementation of sanctions provisions and at assisting Member States in meeting their obligations under those provisions. My delegation also appreciates the results of the work of the Panel of Experts. We believe that the Panel has made a valuable contribution to the better implementation of resolution 1929 (2010). It is our strong belief that only full implementation of the safeguards agreements pursuant to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons can ensure that nuclear energy is used in a safe and responsible manner. The role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as an implementing agency remains the most reliable instrument for verifying compliance with the stipulations of the Treaty. Bosnia and Herzegovina maintains the view that all States without exception must submit their nuclear facilities to the IAEA safeguards regime and must be transparent in fulfilling their commitments. In this context, we remain concerned about the lack of progress with regard to Iran’s compliance with the relevant IAEA and Security Council resolutions. Therefore, we urge Iran to comply with all resolutions of the Security Council and to implement the Additional Protocol and all measures requested by the IAEA. It is imperative that confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme be restored. We still believe that a diplomatic and negotiations-driven approach with Iran based on both good political will and responsible judgment can redress the current situation. We call for additional and serious efforts by the parties directly involved and sincerely hope that they will demonstrate the political will needed to lead to a comprehensive solution to the issue of nuclear-capacity development in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Like previous speakers, I would like, on behalf of my delegation, to reiterate to you, Mr. President, our warmest congratulations and our wishes for your presidency’s every success during this very busy month of September. We would also like to express our thanks and gratitude to the delegation of India for its work last month. My delegation wishes to reaffirm its attachment to the international non-proliferation regime, whose cornerstone is the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. On 23 June, our delegation welcomed the consideration by members of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006) of the recommendations contained in the report of the Panel of Experts, which we would like to see implemented in their entirety. Similarly, we have expressed our profound concern at Iran’s repeated violations of resolutions of the Security Council and at its continued uranium enrichment activities. In this context, our delegation reiterated its call on the Iranian authorities to meet the demands of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and to return to the negotiating table with the E3+3. Today, I wish to thank Ambassador Néstor Osorio for introducing the nineteenth 90-day report of the 1737 Committee and to congratulate the Panel of Experts on its work. We also welcome the adoption by the Council on 9 June, under the Gabonese presidency, of resolution 1984 (2011), which renewed the mandate of the Panel of Experts for a further year. We remain committed to the implementation of all resolutions of the Council. Our delegation exhorts the Committee to accelerate the publication of the experts’ reports on its website. We also welcome the negotiations under way in that Committee with a view to finalizing its programme of work and the assistance that the Panel of Experts continues to provide in the implementation of the resolutions of the Council relating to the Islamic Republic of Iran. Gabon remains of the view that Iran must meet its obligations by cooperating fully with the IAEA in order to build international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear programme. My delegation deplores the alleged violations of sanctions against Iran referred to by the Chair of the Committee. We view it as urgent that all necessary clarification be provided to both the Committee and the Panel of Experts. Finally, my delegation expresses its appreciation of the work carried out by the 1737 Committee, for which it reaffirms its full support, and encourages it to make every effort to ensure that the recommendations of the Panel of Experts are fully implemented. Sir Mark Lyall Grant (United Kingdom): May I offer my congratulations on your assumption, Sir, of the Council presidency for the month of September. I also add my thanks to those of others to Ambassador Puri and his team for their stewardship of the Council in the month of August. I should like to thank Ambassador Osorio for his briefing to the Council today and for his report on the vital work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006) and its Panel of Experts. The Committee’s report makes clear that Iran continues to violate the Council’s sanctions as a proliferator of nuclear and conventional weapons alike. The Iranians themselves say as much. In August, they announced that they had begun the transfer of centrifuges to their site at Qom in order to triple the capacity to enrich uranium to 20 per cent. This directly contravenes six Security Council resolutions requiring Iran to suspend enrichment. It also illustrates how inconsistent with peaceful purposes Iran’s illegal enrichment programme is. There is no credible civilian justification for producing this much 20 per cent- enriched uranium. The latest report of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) makes clear that once again Iran has not fully cooperated with the Agency and highlights his “increasing concerns” at the possible military dimensions to Iran’s programme. This reporting period has demonstrated the continuing need for vigilance on violations of sanctions. In this regard, we reported with France, Germany and the United States a violation of paragraph 9 of resolution 1929 (2010) — namely, the launch of the Rassad-1 satellite, which is dependent on ballistic missile technology. We request that the Committee take forward investigation of this and all pending violations as a matter of urgency, with the close assistance of the Panel of Experts. Quick and thorough investigation of violations will contribute to a clearer picture of the broader pattern of violations by Iran. This will enable the wider membership to focus on areas for particular vigilance. It is important that Member States be equipped with the knowledge and expertise to identify and act upon suspected violations. We therefore welcome the Panel’s efforts to raise awareness of steps that all Member States are required to take to implement sanctions and to foster greater knowledge-sharing and collaboration between States. We welcome the implementation assistance notices that the Panel of Experts has produced and which are before the Committee for consideration. These will be of great benefit in raising awareness among Member States of their responsibilities and the actions they can take to prevent further violations. We look forward to quick agreement and publication of these notices on the Committee website. We regret that the Panel’s report has not yet been made public. The Committee is denying the wider membership of the United Nations access to this valuable assessment, which will assist with the implementation of sanctions. The Committee should agree to release the report as a matter of urgency. We remain committed to engaging Iran to address these concerns, but it is clear that Iran continues to proliferate and to pursue a nuclear weapons programme. Iran has given us no reason to believe that engagement on a nuclear programme will be reciprocated in a meaningful way. If the dual-track strategy is to succeed, rigorous implementation by States of the measures contained in resolution 1929 (2010) and the Council’s prior resolutions is therefore essential.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Lebanon. I join my colleagues in expressing my gratitude to Ambassador Néstor Osorio for his briefing on the 90-day report on the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006). I should like to make the following additional remarks. First, we reiterate the importance of political and diplomatic efforts to find a solution to the Iranian nuclear question through negotiations. We support all initiatives aimed at reactivating negotiations and dialogue, which remain the best path towards a final and comprehensive solution that encompasses all outstanding questions regarding the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme, thus opening the way for the development of productive and cooperative relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Secondly, we emphasize the need for a balanced application of the three main pillars of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT): non-proliferation, disarmament and the peaceful use of nuclear technology. We reaffirm the right of all States parties to the NPT to develop, research, produce and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. We also call for the issue of non-proliferation in the Middle East to be addressed within an integrated and comprehensive vision, without selectivity or double standards. Such a vision should be based on the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East. Thirdly, we believe that weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear weapons, cannot be a source of security or stability anywhere in the world; quite to the contrary, they constitute a motivation for other States to seek possession of such weapons, thus opening the door to an endless and destructive arms race. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. I shall now give the floor to Ambassador Osorio to respond to comments.

First of all, I should like to thank all the members of the Security Council for their words of support to the work just concluded by the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006). Their words will be conveyed in particular to the members of the Panel of Experts who have worked with me and demonstrated not only a great spirit of cooperation, but also the ability to compromise in the search for the best ways to run the Committee, which shoulders a great responsibility, as evidenced by all the statements made here today. I have taken due note of the calls to ensure that the activities of the Panel be as transparent, objective and clear as possible and that, as a result, we can fulfil our obligation and commitment to conveying the results of the follow-up to all United Nations Members and the legal responsibilities of the members of the Panel and of the Committee. We shall continue our work and, pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001), to update the members of the Security Council.

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.