S/PV.7726 Security Council

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. Members of the Council have before them document S/2016/578, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by the Russian Federation and the United States of America. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2016/520, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force for the period from 1 March to 20 May 2016. The security situation in the area of separation remains dangerous and unstable. It is a war zone in which armed extremist groups remain a real and constant threat, and the reality is that UNDOF personnel are likely to continue to be targeted. New Zealand argued strongly in the process leading up to the adoption of resolution 2294 (2016) today that, as the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) takes forward its plans for an incremental return, it must be clear that any return should take place only if the necessary conditions being met to ensure that it can be done safely and effectively. It must be based on a robust assessment of the security situation, which must be kept under continuous review, and DPKO needs to keep the Council updated regularly. UNDOF personnel must also be provided with the technology and equipment necessary for them to carry out their mandate safely. The Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. I shall put the draft resolution to the vote now.

The draft resolution received 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 2294 (2016). I shall now give the floor to the members of the Security Council who wish to make statements after the voting. As the Secretary-General has made clear, it is essential that the parties to the Disengagement of Forces Agreement play their part in enabling the return of UNDOF, including by facilitating the establishment of secure temporary crossing procedures and enabling the mission’s use of technology and equipment necessary for its safety.

Let me begin by expressing New Zealand’s sincere condolences to the people and the Government of Turkey over the attacks at the Istanbul airport. In early May, New Zealand hosted a meeting for troop-contributing countries, the Secretariat and Council members as part of our triangular consultations initiative. We also engaged bilaterally with a number of the most affected troop-contributing countries in the lead-up to today’s adoption. Troop-contributing countries shared our concerns about the ability of UNDOF personnel to operate safely in the area of separation. They emphasized the need for UNDOF troops to have the equipment they need to do their jobs. New Zealand proposed a number of amendments to the draft text. We are pleased that some changes were made, even though they do not fully reflect the extent of our concerns or those conveyed to us by some troopcontributing countries. This outcome is in no small part due to the brief time we had to consider the resolution. Given the serious issues involved, particularly with regard to the safety of United Nations personnel, one working day for consultation is unacceptable. We will continue to engage with Council members and troop-contributing countries further in the months ahead, particularly in advance of the 90-day review in September and the next UNDOF mandate renewal in December. We also encourage DPKO and those that assert the right to hold the pen on this issue to stay in close contact with troop-contributing countries as their plans advance to ensure that they retain the full confidence and support of troop-contributing countries. We trust that the next mandate renewal will allow for more time for Council members to consider the serious issues at stake.