S/PV.6698 Security Council

I thank Mr. Martin for his briefing. I now give the floor to Ambassador João Maria Cabral.

In accordance with paragraph 24 (e) of resolution 1970 (2011), of 26 February 2011, I have the honour to report to the Security Council on the work of the Committee established pursuant to that resolution. The report covers the period from 27 September to 22 December 2011. Many developments have taken place in relation to Libya since the Chair last briefed the Council, almost three months ago. Foremost among them, in terms of the work of the Committee, is the delisting of the Central Bank of Libya and the Libyan Foreign Bank on 16 December, upon the request of the relevant Libyan authorities. The asset freeze therefore no longer applies to those two entities. The Committee will continue to work towards the goal of ensuring that all assets frozen pursuant to resolutions 1970 (2011) and 1973 (2011) are made available as soon as possible to, and for the benefit of, the people of Libya. I would also like to highlight that, on 31 October, the Security Council adopted resolution 2017 (2011), by which it requested the Committee to assess the threats and challenges, particularly in relation to terrorism, posed by the proliferation in the region of all arms and related materiel of all types, in particular man-portable air defence systems (MANPADs), from Libya, and to submit a report to the Council on proposals to counter the threat and to prevent such proliferation. The Committee is to be assisted by the Panel of Experts, to cooperate with the Counter- Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) and to work together with other relevant United Nations bodies, including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), in that endeavour. Consultation with international and regional organizations is also suggested. Subsequently, on 2 December, the Council adopted resolution 2022 (2011), by which it expanded the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) to include, in coordination and consultation with the transitional Government of Libya, assisting and supporting Libyan national efforts to address the threats of the proliferation of all arms and related materiel of all types, in particular MANPADS, taking into account, among other things, the aforementioned report. It was in the context of the implementation of that resolution, among other purposes, that the members of the Committee met in informal consultations on 12 December. At that meeting, following briefings by the Panel of Experts, CTED, ICAO and the United Nations Support Mission in Libya on the implementation of resolution 2017 (2011), the Committee agreed that the working document would be consolidated by the Panel in February 2012, on the basis of which a Committee report would be submitted to the Council shortly thereafter. The other main purpose for convening the informal consultations was to hear a presentation by the Panel of Experts of its progress report. The Panel reported on the missions it had undertaken to various countries in the region, including Libya, and sought the Committee’s assistance with respect to other missions that it hoped to undertake. The Panel conveyed some preliminary findings on its monitoring of the implementation of the arms embargo, travel ban and asset freeze. In the discussion that ensued, the members of the Committee addressed questions or comments to the Panel and agreed to consider dispatching letters to certain countries that had yet to respond to the Panel’s request for a visit. Continued cooperation between the Panel of Experts and UNSMIL was emphasized. During the reporting period, in connection with the arms embargo, the Committee approved four requests for an exception to that measure under paragraphs 9 (a) and 9 (c) of resolution 1970 (2011). The Committee also had no objection to a fifth request for an exception that invoked paragraph 9 (c) of the resolution. Furthermore, no negative decision was taken by the Committee in relation to six notifications under paragraph 13 (a) of resolution 2009 (2011), which allows the supply of arms and related materiel of all types intended solely for security or disarmament assistance to the Libyan authorities. With respect to the asset freeze, I have already noted the delisting of the Central Bank of Libya and the Libyan Foreign Bank. Prior to that delisting, the Committee approved six requests for an exception to the asset freeze under the extraordinary expenses provision set out in paragraph 19 (b) of resolution 1970 (2011). It also acknowledged the receipt of six notifications under the prior contracts provision set out in paragraph 21 of that resolution. Furthermore, no negative decision was taken by the Committee in relation to 11 notifications under the basic expenses provision set out in paragraph 19 (a) of resolution 1970 (2011) and 12 notifications under paragraph 16 (a) of resolution 2009 (2011). Members of the Council will recall that the latter paragraph provides for the unfreezing of funds for additional purposes. All in all, those requests and notifications amount to at least $18 billion. Finally, during the period under review, in its replies to written communications submitted by two Member States, the Committee confirmed that, with the adoption of resolution 2009 (2011), the asset freeze no longer applied to the subsidiaries of United Nations- listed entities. The Committee will continue to provide guidance on the scope and application of the relevant measures to any Member State that so requests it, in order to ensure a clear and consistent understanding by all.

There are no further speakers inscribed on my list. I now invite Council members to informal consultations to continue our discussion on the subject.