Security Council meeting 5955

The President

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations.

Members of the Council have before them document S/2008/493, containing a letter dated 8 July 2008 from the Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) addressed to the President of the Security Council.

At this meeting, the Council will hear a briefing by His Excellency Mr. Jorge Urbina, Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). I now give the floor to Mr. Urbina.

Mr. Urbina (Costa Rica)

Pursuant to paragraph 7 of resolution 1810 (2008), and on behalf of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), it is my pleasure to submit to the Security Council the Committee's report on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004).

Since the adoption of Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) in April 2004, the Committee established pursuant to that resolution has made considerable progress in promoting full implementation of the resolution through its intensive work programmes. That work includes assisting the Security Council in monitoring the implementation of the resolution through the examination of relevant measures taken by all States Members of the United Nations, the organization of intensive outreach activities, the development of deeper and mutually beneficial cooperation with other Security Council counter-terrorism bodies as well as with global, regional, and subregional intergovernmental organizations, the creation of new tools to facilitate assistance and transparency, and the enhancement of its dialogue with individual States.

In the present report the Committee expresses the belief that those activities substantially raised the awareness of the international community concerning the dangers associated with the potential nexus between the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, their means of delivery and related materials, and non-State actors. Since the adoption by the Security Council of resolution 1673 (2006), the Committee's work has placed greater emphasis on implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), facilitating the efforts of Member States to prepare to address that nexus.

Mr. Urbina (Costa Rica)

In its present report, the 1540 Committee identifies a number of specific measures that States have in place to implement resolution 1540 (2004), including steps they have taken since April 2006. They range from developing new institutional means to incorporate the obligations of resolution 1540 (2004) in national practices to adopting new legislation and enforcement measures, executing new policies and creating new assistance programmes directed towards implementation of the resolution.

The new reports submitted by a number of States since 2006 and the additional information received from other States, or otherwise identified from official governmental sources, have enabled the Committee to present a more complete picture of the measures already in place or planned in the near future. Thus, it has been possible to demonstrate a qualitative improvement in progress towards achieving full implementation of the resolution.

Mr. Urbina (Costa Rica)

Notwithstanding that progress, the Committee concludes that Member States need to do far more than they have already done to implement resolution 1540 (2004). Consequently, achieving the goals of the resolution requires further attention by the Security Council and more intensive action, particularly on capacity-building and sharing lessons learned.

Among other recommendations, the Committee believes that, consistent with Security Council resolution 1810 (2008), it should strengthen its clearing-house role for channelling assistance to States in need; increase tailored dialogue with and among States to identify assistance needs and assistance projects to meet them; and promote awareness of, make better use of and consider options for developing existing financial mechanisms in order to build capacity to implement resolution 1540 (2004). To those ends, it should also work more closely with global and regional intergovernmental organizations and arrangements, within and outside the United Nations system, in fostering the sharing of experience, creating forums for discussion and developing innovative mechanisms to achieve implementation of the resolution.

Full implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) by all States will take time. Once it has been accomplished, vigilance and innovation will be needed to maintain effective policies. That task not only calls for a long-term commitment to the objectives of the resolution, but also the nurturing of a sense of urgency, given the gravity of the threat facing the international community.

The President

On behalf of the Council, I wish to thank the Chairman of the 1540 Committee, Ambassador Urbina, and his predecessor, Mr. Burian, as well as the group of experts for their work. The final report submitted to the Council today bears witness to the progress that has been achieved thanks to their endeavours. It also demonstrates the scale of the task that remains to be performed.

There are no further speakers inscribed on my list; the Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.