S/2015/946

United Nations

Security Council

Distr.: General
10 December 2015
Original: English

Letter dated 10 December 2015 from the Chargé d’affaires a.i.
of the Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations
addressed to the President of the Security Council
In accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, I report to
the Security Council on behalf of my Government that the Federal Republic of
Germany, in the exercise of the right of collective self -defence, has initiated military
measures against the terrorist organization Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant
(ISIL). These measures are directed against ISIL, not against the Syrian Arab
Republic.
The Security Council has confirmed in its resolution 2249 (2015) of
20 November 2015 that ISIL “constitutes a global and unprecedented threat to
international peace and security” and has called upon Member States to eradicate
the safe haven that ISIL has established in significant parts of Iraq and the Syrian
Arab Republic. ISIL has carried out, and continues to carry out, armed attacks
against Iraq, France, and other States. These States have acted, and continue to act,
by taking measures of self-defence.
ISIL has occupied a certain part of Syrian territory over which the Government
of the Syrian Arab Republic does not at this time exercise effective control. States
that have been subjected to armed attack by ISIL originating in this part of Syrian
territory, are therefore justified under Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations
to take necessary measures of self-defence, even without the consent of the
Government of the Syrian Arab Republic. Exercising the right of collective
self-defence, Germany will now support the military measures of those States that
have been subjected to attacks by ISIL.
I request that you circulate the present letter as a document of the Security
Council.
(Signed) Heiko Thoms
Chargé d’affaires a.i.

15-21807 (E)

111215

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