Security Council condemns non-respect of UN sanctions

The UN Security Council on Friday condemned Liberian state and non-state actors for failing to abide by UN sanctions imposed in 2001, including an arms embargo.

The Council said that while the UN and the international community had made efforts to bring peace and security to the Mano River Union (Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone) with Sierra Leone standing out as one tangible result, it remained concerned for Liberia, where fighting between pro- and anti-government forces had continued. "The internal conflict and significant violence in Liberia are producing widespread refugee flows and displacement of people in Liberia, exacerbating the humanitarian situation and fuelling the movement of irregular combatants and the flow of weapons throughout the region", the statement said.

While expressing support for regional peace initiatives, the Council proposed that they should all be part of a comprehensive and holistic international strategy based on two fundamental axes, the first of which must be a collaboration of key regional actors. The second, the Council said, should focus on getting President Charles Taylor to "engage constructively with the international community in working to achieve national reconciliation and political reform in Liberia".

The Council also called for a strengthening of the UN Office in Liberia (UNOL). Its mandate, it said, should include preparing for and contributing to a fair and free presidential election in 2003.

In its concluding remarks, the Council called on the Liberian government to take measures and create a conducive environment for peace, and urged the international community to continue to stand by the West African country by providing all necessary assistance.

The statement said the Security Council was considering sending a mission to the region during the first half of 2003 to assess the situation.

The Council's full statement