S/PRST/2004/45

United Nations

Security Council

Distr.: General
7 December 2004
English
Original: French

Statement by the President of the Security Council
At the 5095th meeting of the Security Council, held on 7 December 2004, in
connection with the Council’s consideration of the item entitled “The situation
concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo”, the President of the Security
Council made the following statement on behalf of the Council:
“The Security Council expresses its very deep concern at multiple reports
of military operations by the Rwandan army in the Eastern part of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo and at threats by the Government of
Rwanda in this regard. It recalls its adherence to the respect for the
sovereignty of all States, and underlines that the threat or use of force against
the territorial integrity of any State is contrary to the purposes and principles
stated in the Charter of the United Nations.
“The Security Council strongly condemns any and all such military
action, recalling that they are contrary to its resolutions, and in particular to
resolution 1565 (2004), by which it urged each of the governments of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda, to ensure
that the territory of its country was not used to infringe the sovereignty of the
others.
“The Security Council demands that the Government of Rwanda
withdraw without delay any forces it may have in the territory of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, and calls on all States in the region to
refrain from any action or statement that contravenes international law,
undermines the already fragile stability in the region, or the transitional
process supported by the international community.
“The Security Council notes that these reported events and threats, are
contrary to all peace agreements, declarations and protocols signed by regional
States since the 1998 commencement of hostilities in the Democratic Republic
of the Congo. It underlines that these events and threats, arising after the
international Conference on the Great Lakes of Africa, are contrary to the
commitments taken by the regional Heads of State, in the Declaration adopted
in Dar es Salaam on 20 November 2004, to settle their disputes in a peaceful
manner, and are all the more unacceptable.
“The Security Council calls on all governments in the region, to commit
themselves to and make full use of multilateral mechanisms they have agreed
to establish, including the Joint Verification Mechanism and the Tripartite

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Commission, for the peaceful resolution of their disputes. It further calls on
the Government of Rwanda, as well as all governments in the region, to devote
their resources to the promotion of peace, stability, democracy and
development.
“The Security Council urges all Member States fully to comply with their
obligations under resolution 1493 (2003), which imposed an arms embargo in
the district of Ituri and the provinces of North and South Kivu.
“The Security Council recognizes that continued tension in the Eastern
part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo undermines peace and security
in the region, and in particular that the presence of ex-FAR and Interahamwe
elements in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is a source of
instability, a threat to civilian populations and an impediment to good
neighbourly relations between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and
Rwanda. It considers the armed presence and activities of ex-FAR and
Interahamwe elements in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo to be unacceptable and demands that they disarm and disband without
delay, with a view to their repatriation or resettlement.
“In this regard, the Security Council welcomes steps taken to set up the
plan established by the Congolese authorities, with the support of the United
Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, aimed
at accelerating the disarmament and demobilization of foreign armed groups. It
calls on the Governments of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the
Congo to explore ways to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of these
combatants, based on the existing mechanisms. It urges the Congolese
authorities to do all possible to effectively disarm these armed groups as a
matter of urgency, in the interest of stability in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, the security of Rwanda and Burundi, and the establishment of peace
and stability in the region.
“The Security Council further calls in this regard on the Congolese
authorities to accelerate the integration of the armed forces of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, and encourages the donor community to provide
coordinated financial and technical assistance to this important task.
“The Security Council condemns any attempt aimed at undermining the
unity and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“The Security Council expresses its intention to consider further actions,
including measures, that may be taken against those individuals who, by their
actions or statements, compromise the peace and transition process in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo.”

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