S/PV.6644 Security Council

There were 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 2017 (2011). I now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements after the vote.

Germany voted in favour of the resolution just adopted by this Council, resolution 2017 (2011). We appreciate the initiative of the Russian Federation for taking up this important issue. The proliferation of all arms and related material of all types from Libya to the region is an issue of utmost concern to all of us. Resolution 2017 (2011) rightly addresses man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS) and other small arms and light weapons, chemical weapons and materiel of all types. It is our understanding that the latter reference covers nuclear and radiological materiel, and we believe that the International Atomic Energy Agency, like the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, should have a crucial role to play in this regard. In this context, Germany is planning to give technical support to a mission of inspectors of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to Libya. Germany is also closely cooperating with partners on how to secure MANPADS and other small arms and light weapons. In paragraph 5, resolution 2017 (2011) stipulates a reporting mechanism on the assessment of the threats and challenges posed by the proliferation of all arms and related materiel of all types. The Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011), with assistance from its Panel of Experts, is requested to submit a report to the Council in this regard. As is well known, Germany is of the view that, as a matter of principle, independent panels of experts should report directly to the Council. Most of the panels of experts established by the Council, including that established under resolution 1973 (2011) and referred to in paragraph 5 of today’s resolution, report directly to the Council. In order to preserve their independence, panels of experts should not be requested to report through committees. The independent expertise of the panels should be leant directly to the decision-makers in the Council without being subject to pre-examination by subsidiary organs. Germany would have preferred a reporting mechanism under today’s resolution that would have allowed the Panel of Experts to report directly to the Council.

The principal aim of resolution 2017 (2011), drafted by the Russian Federation and adopted today, is to curb the uncontrolled proliferation of weapons of all kinds and related materiel as a result of the Libyan conflict. Any serious breach of the arms embargo imposed by the Security Council is likely to destabilize the entire region. The Libyan authorities must assume the main responsibility for this task, but it is clear that an effective resolution of the problem will require the constructive cooperation of Libya’s neighbours and the international community as a whole. We are convinced that consolidated efforts in this area would be in the interest of all. In drafting the resolution, we could not fail bear in mind the great threat posed by Libyan weapons, in particular man-portable air defence systems, falling into the hands of terrorist groups that are highly active in the region. In that regard, civil aviation is equally at risk. That is why the resolution assigns an active role to the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate and the International Civil Aviation Organization. We welcome the consensus adoption of resolution 2017 (2011).

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.