UNSC: SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS UNDOF MANDATE FOR

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001171

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNSC
SUBJECT: UNSC: SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS UNDOF MANDATE FOR
SIX MONTHS

REF: STATE 166737


1. (U) The Security Council December 14 adopted by a 15-0
vote a resolution (UNSCR 1788) to extend the mandate of the
United Nations Disengagement Observer Force for six months to
June 30, 2008. The extension was recommended by the
Secretary-General in his December 3 "Report of the

SIPDIS
Secretary-General on the United Nations Disengagement

SIPDIS
Observer Force (for the period from 7 June to 31 December
2007)" and had also been agreed to by the governments of the
Syrian Arab Republic and Israel. In the Security Council's
December 11 closed consultations on the report, a number of
delegations expressed hope that the recent U.S.-sponsored
international meeting at Annapolis would mark the beginning
of an effort to solve the Middle East problem. Texts of
UNSCR 1788 and an accompanying Presidential Statement (PRST)
are in paragraphs 2 and 3.


2. (U) Begin Text of UNSCR 1788:

-- The Security Council,

-- Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on
the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force of 3 December
2007 (S/2007/698),and also reaffirming its resolution
1308(2000) of 17 July 2000,

-- 1. Calls upon the parties concerned to implement
immediately its resolution 338(1973) of 22 October 1973;

-- 2. Welcomes the efforts being undertaken by the United
Nations Disengagement Observer Force to implement the
Secretary-General's zero tolerance policy on sexual

SIPDIS
exploitation and abuse, and to ensure full compliance of its
personnel with the United Nations code of conduct, requests
the Secretary-General to continue to take all necessary
action in this regard and to keep the Security Council
informed, and urges troop-contributing countries to take
preventive and disciplinary action to ensure that such acts
are properly investigated and punished in cases involving
their personnel;

-- 3. Decides to renew the mandate of the United Nations
Disengagement Observer Force for a period of six months, that
is, until 30 June 2008;

-- 4. Requests the Secretary-General to submit, at the end of
this period, a report on developments in the situation and
the measures taken to implement resolution 338(1973).
End Text of UNSCR 1788.


3. (U) Begin Text of Presidential Statement (S/PRST/2007/48):

-- At the 5802nd meeting of the Security Council, held on 14
December 2007, in connection with the Council's consideration
of the item entitled "The Situation in the Middle East", the
President of the Security Council made the following
statement on behalf of the Council:

-- "In connection with the resolution just adopted on the
renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement
Observer Force, I have been authorized to make the following
complementary statement on behalf of the Security Council:

-- 'As is known, the report of the Secretary-General on the
United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (S/2007/698)
states in paragraph 11 that "... the situation in the Middle
East is tense and is likely to remain so, unless and until a
comprehensive settlement covering all aspects of the Middle
East problem can be reached". That statement of the
Secretary-General reflects the view of the Security Council.'"

SIPDIS
End Text.
Khalilzad