Amid US-Cuba Thaw, UN's Cuban Staff and Cuban Diplomats Are Still Restricted to 25 Miles From NYC, ICP Is Told

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 1 -- On the day the US' Jeffrey DeLaurentis handed President Barack Obama's letter to Raul Castro, setting July 20 for the re-opening of embassies, Inner City Press asked a Cuban diplomat in New York if the restrictions on him, and on Cuban UN staff, to stay within 25 miles of Columbus Circle would remain in place.

  Yes, was the reply, with a shaking of the head. How this is legal under the Host Country Agreement between the US and UN is not clear. But the UN says nothing about it.

  Later on July 1, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement welcoming the move, but saying nothing about the US' restrictions not only on Cuban diplomats but also on UN staff of Cuban nationality, who work for Ban. Ah, leadership. Ban said (with the bracketed word "more" crossed out) --

"The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement today that Cuba and the United States will reopen embassies in Havana and Washington, D.C.. The restoration of diplomatic ties is an important step on the path toward the normalization of relations.

"In keeping with the principles of its founding Charter, the United Nations supports efforts to promote [more] harmonious and good neighbourly relations among States. The Secretary-General hopes that this historic step will benefit the peoples of both countries."

  Back on April 1 as talks continued between Cuba and the US, including in Havana on telecommunications, Inner City Press on April 1 asked the UN to confirm that Cuban nationals who are UN staff members are for now required to seek prior approval before venturing more than 25 miles from Columbus Circle in Manhattan. 

  While the UN openly complains when restricted in certain other countries, this restriction it refuses to confirm or discuss. From the UN's April 1 transcript:

Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you about UN staff's ability to travel more than 25 miles outside of New York... I'd like you to comment on whether Cuban staff, i.e., employed by the UN, but from Cuba, are subject to that restriction, and what the Secretariat has done either historically or recently to oppose that, and your position on the legality of the host country limiting UN staff to a certain distance from Manhattan.

Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq:  As you know, there's a Convention on the privileges and immunities of UN and associated staff, so I would just refer to you that.  So for any problems that we have in any of the countries where we operate, we take them up with the local authorities, and in this case, it would also be an issue for the Host Country Committee.

Inner City Press:  Right, but can we either now or later today just get an answer from the UN, maybe it's OHRM or OLA, are you aware, because I am, of restrictions imposed by the host country on UN staff members from particular countries, and what's your position on that?  [overlapping talking]

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  Like I said, our position is in line with the Convention on the privileges and immunities of the United Nations and associated staff.  So we have that as a clear point.  And then if we have concerns with any countries, we take them up at different levels.  And like I said, in this case, sometimes there would be issues for the Host Country Committee and we'd take it up there.

Inner City Press:  I'm just wondering, can the UN not say whether it has staff members based here in New York who are restricted from traveling?

Deputy Spokesman:  Whenever we have any concerns, we take them up with the authorities as need be, including with the Host Country Committee.  

   Back on March 26 Inner City Press asked US State Department spokesperson Jeff Rathke about US limitations on Cuban diplomats. From the State Department transcript:

Inner City Press:  Cuba has complained that its diplomats accredited to the UN in New York are not allowed to go more than 25 miles outside of the city or from Columbus Circle.  And I wanted to know whether this restriction is one of the things that’s being negotiated.  Is it considered being lifted?  Is it – where does it stand, and how do – and what’s the U.S. – given that generally people accredited to the UN can travel freely, how does the U.S. justify it?

MR. RATHKE:  Well, we’ve said from the very start of our rounds of talks with the Cuban Government that one of the topics we want to discuss is the ability of American diplomats in Cuba to move around freely and, of course, the Cubans have a similar concern.  I’m not going to get into the state of those discussions, but that’s clearly a topic that we’ve been talking about over the last few rounds.

  Rathke went on to say it is part of the negotiations. 

 Back on March 13, after Cuba came out in strong defense of Venezuela after US President Obama's executive order, the US was disappointed but not surprised, a senior State Department official told reporters on a background call.

   Inner City Press wondered from the UN, what of the US' requirement that Cuban diplomats -- and even Cuban UN staff members -- must stay without 25 miles of Columbus Circle in Manhattan? 

  Will that restriction, which seems contrary to the Host Country Agreement between the US and UN and the Vienna Conventions, be removed? 

   Currently in charge of the US' “interest section” isJeffrey Delaurentis, formerly with the US Mission to the UN. What does he say about the 25 mile restriction? And how might he fare in a nomination process in the US Senate? Watch this site.

   

Lifting 25 Mile Rule on Cuban Diplomats at UN in New York Being Negotiated, State Department Tells Inner City Press

By Matthew Russell Lee

WASHINGTON, March 26 -- As talks proceed between Cuba and the US, including in Havana on telecommunications, Inner City Press on March 26 asked State Department spokesperson Jeff Rathke about US limitations on Cuban diplomats. From the State Department transcript:

Inner City Press:  Cuba has complained that its diplomats accredited to the UN in New York are not allowed to go more than 25 miles outside of the city or from Columbus Circle.  And I wanted to know whether this restriction is one of the things that’s being negotiated.  Is it considered being lifted?  Is it – where does it stand, and how do – and what’s the U.S. – given that generally people accredited to the UN can travel freely, how does the U.S. justify it?

MR. RATHKE:  Well, we’ve said from the very start of our rounds of talks with the Cuban Government that one of the topics we want to discuss is the ability of American diplomats in Cuba to move around freely and, of course, the Cubans have a similar concern.  I’m not going to get into the state of those discussions, but that’s clearly a topic that we’ve been talking about over the last few rounds.

  Rathke went on to say it is part of the negotiations. 

 Back on March 13, after Cuba came out in strong defense of Venezuela after US President Obama's executive order, the US was disappointed but not surprised, a senior State Department official told reporters on a background call.

   Inner City Press wondered from the UN, what of the US' requirement that Cuban diplomats -- and even Cuban UN staff members -- must stay without 25 miles of Columbus Circle in Manhattan? 

  Will that restriction, which seems contrary to the Host Country Agreement between the US and UN and the Vienna Conventions, be removed? 

   Currently in charge of the US' “interest section” isJeffrey Delaurentis, formerly with the US Mission to the UN. What does he say about the 25 mile restriction? And how might he fare in a nomination process in the US Senate? Watch this site.

   

US Disappointed But Not Surprised by Cuba's Venezuela Stand, But What of 25 Mile Limit on Cuban Diplomats and Even UN Staff?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, March 13 -- When Cuba came out in strong defense of Venezuela after US President Obama's executive order, the US was disappointed but not surprised, a senior State Department official told reporters on March 13.

  The official predicted neither Cuba's statement or the upcoming UNASUR meeting to be held March 14 in Ecuador would impact the process between the US and Cuba, including talks next week in Havana.

  But, Inner City Press wonders from the UN, what of the US' requirement that Cuban diplomats -- and even Cuban UN staff members -- must stay without 25 miles of Columbus Circle in Manhattan? 

  Will that restrictions, which is contrary to the Host Country Agreement between the US and UN and, it seems, the Vienna Conventions, be removed? If so, when in this process?

   Currently in charge of the US' “interest section” isJeffrey Delaurentis, formerly with the US Mission to the UN. What does he say about the 25 mile restriction? And how might he fare in a nomination process in the US Senate? Watch this site.

   

Take 2: Obama Taps Clooney Colleague for UNSC Post, Barks Ruggles for Rwanda In French Eyes

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 14 -- Two nominations announced on June 13 by the Obama administration andquickly reported by Inner City Press have given rise to questions. Inner City Press identified David Pressman, slated for a US Mission to the UN position in the Security Council, as co-founder of "Not On Our Watch," thinking that wasEnough. 

   But based on feedback we add... with George Clooney! One could add: UNSC-bound Pressman worked with Ron Kuby, mentee of progressive defense lawyer William Kunstler, while Clooney's engagement to international lawyer Amal Alamuddin had him relinquish his UN post. ICP as TMZ? Anyway. So this follow up is in blog / TMZ style.

   Also, after Inner City Press reported that Obama intends to nominate  Erica J. Barks Ruggles as US Ambassador to Rwanda, a French reporter on the region opined, "If true, interesting move." 

  If true? Is this like saying the departure of French Ambassador Gerard Araud from the UN on July 15 will be "if true, an interesting move"?

  Of Pressman, this is of interest to us:  will he help hold UN Peacekeeping accountable?

   Since 2013 Pressman has been at the US Mission to the UN, and is now slated to replace Jeffrey DeLaurentis. The post involves frequent Council consultations on the UNAMID and UNMISS peacekeeping missions, among others.

  Just this year, mis-reporting of government abuse in Darfur by UNAMID and UN Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous has been exposed. On South Sudan, Mali and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ladsous open refuses to answer Press questions. Might Pressman help bring accountability, or at least increased transparency?

   Ladsous also refused to answer on the FDLR, understandably of much concern to Rwanda. As new US Ambassador to Rwanda, President Barack Obama on June 13 nominated Erica J. Barks Ruggles, a career member of the Foreign Service, currently  Consul General at the U.S. Consulate in Cape Town, South Africa. What is her position on these issues? UNfortunately, on Ladsous there were no confirmation hearings.

On Sudan and South Sudan: After a June 4 briefing by UN Humanitarian chief Valerie Amos, Inner City Press asked her if any aid is getting into Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states. 

  She told Inner City Press yes, in areas controlled by the Sudan government. She said, not for the first time, that the SPLM-North insists that aid come in from the South: that is, cross-border.

  Inner City Press asked Amos about reports of bombing of Kauda, including of a hospital. She said she has heard the reports, and that she met on June 3 with Sudan's new Permanent Representative to the UN, with whom she has previously worked.

  Amos is slated to brief the UN Security Council about Somalia later on June 4. We'll be there.

  At the June 4 briefing, it was not possible for Inner City Press to ask Amos about South Sudan, or about "access fees."

   Four weeks after the United States announced South Sudan sanctions on Marial Chanuong and Peter Gadet on May 6, on June 2 it clarified that paying "taxes" to Gadet's militia wouldn't necessarily violate the sanctions:

Q: Are humanitarian aid groups prohibited from making payments to or otherwise transacting with non-designated individuals or entities in South Sudan, including militias and armed groups under the command or control of a designated individual?

A: An entity in South Sudan that is commanded or controlled by an individual designated under Executive Order 13664 is not considered blocked by operation of law. Payments, including “taxes” or “access payments,” made to non-designated individuals or entities under the command or control of an individual designated under E.O. 13664 do not, in and of themselves, constitute prohibited activity. U.S. persons should employ due diligence, however, to ensure that an SDN is not, for example, profiting from such transactions

   One wonders about the timing of the Q&A - was this really a "frequently" asked question?

  (Inner City Press also wonders whether US State Department envoy Russ Feingold has inquired with Burundi into the jailing of human rights defender Mbonimpa. Sanctions on that, or on arming the CNDD youth wing, in camps in Eastern Congo which the UN mission MONUSCO won't even go and check?)

  On May 6 a US Senior Administration Official, when asked by Inner City Press if thought had been or will be given to sanctioning the Kiir government officials who took to the radio waves prior to the deadly attack on the UN compound of UNMISS in Bor, resisted discussing anyone not yet on the list.

   But it would seem clear that there could be at least one further intermediary step of sanctions before reaching Kiir and his former Vice President.

  Gadet was previously used by the government for disarmament. Inner City Press asked UN envoy Hilde Johnson about it on March 15, 2012 and Johnson replied that to "us in the UN" who did the disarmament, including Gadet, was "less than relevant. Now Gadet is under US sanctions.

  Beyond the sanctions, Inner City Press asked the US Senior Administration Officials about Secretary of State John Kerry's emphasis in Addis Ababa on the need for a legitimate force to help make peace: in the US' thinking, would this force be part of UNMISS?

  A second Senior Administration Official replied that conversations are ongoing, that the regional force would be related but, it seems, might be separate. 

  Now it seems the force, including Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda, will be related and technically a part of UNMISS - but Hilde Johnson is leaving as envoy in July. Watch this site.

Footnote: When the US Treasury Department put online the specifics, it appeared that Peter Gadet, now subject to a travel ban, has no passport.

US Transcript:

MODERATOR: Our next question is from.. Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press. Go ahead.

QUESTION: Great. Thanks a lot, [Moderator]. I wanted to ask, there was a – it was said that in Security Council consultations at the UN that senior government officials were named in a radio broadcast prior to the attacks in Bor on the UN compound in killing the civilians. I just wonder if you can say are these people – is that the case? Do you know the names of people that sort of called for that attack, and in which case, why aren’t they on this list?

And I also – this might for Senior Administration Official Number Two. Secretary Kerry was talking about a legitimate force to help make peace. And I just wanted to know, is the UN – is the U.S. thinking of that as part of UNMISS mission or as the IGAD force? And if so, would it require a Security Council approval? Thanks.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL ONE: On the first, I mean, we typically do not comment on actors against whom we are – we have not yet – we have not yet acted, a clunky way of saying we don’t comment on those who are not part of our designation. But anyone who is contributing to the violence, whether that’s by directing violence, whether that’s by funding it, fueling it, contributing arms, can be a subject of designation in the future. And I’ll leave it to my State Department colleague to answer the second question.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL TWO: Yeah. On the question about the regional force and on UNMISS, we – it is something that conversations and discussions are ongoing between countries of IGAD, with New York, with ourselves and others on how best to create this additional force presence that we are working very much with UNMISS and see this as part of the same effort. But we do think it’s very important that the regional forces are able to join this effort in larger numbers and appreciate the efforts of, particularly, the governments of Ethiopia and Kenya, who are leading the mediation and who are seeking to work with UNMISS in this regard.

   

As US Tells UN "All Governments Do Things That Are Secret," of Spies, Malvinas & Stonewalling

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, August 6, updated -- A UN day full of criticism of the US global spying program and, from Latin countries, of the UK's claims on the Malvinas or Falkland Islands ended at 8 pm Tuesday with a whimper rather than a bang.

  The United States, through its Number Three Ambassador to the UN Jeffrey DeLaurentis, said "All governments do things that are secret." And then, at least Tuesday, defend them only at the end of a debate when nearly everyone is gone. 

Later the US Mission e-mailed out DeLaurentis' reply, but online it was only Permanent Representative Samantha Power's prepared statement, here.

  Diplomats from three Latin American countries, exiting the Council, panned DeLaurentis' right of reply. It's up to you, one of them said, apparently meaning the press.

  Covering the meeting to the end, Inner City Press noted Sudan saying that it liked a segment of the Presidential Statement about helping national judicial systems. This, it seems, was a code word for a local trial of the country's ICC indictees, including President Omar al Bashir with whom the UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous met in July.

  UK Permanent Representative Mark Lyall Grant came back to say that there would be no bilateral talks with Argentina with "the Islanders" involved; he disputed Uruguay's minister's statement about UK illegal hydrocarbon searching near The Islands.

(Argentina's Permanent Representative Perceval replied briefly, that her government's position on Malvinas is well known, which she gracefully repeated to Inner City Press while leaving.)

  Lyall Grant also chatted amiably with Inner City Press, about Puntland in Somalia, but had nothing to add, past 8 pm, to his right of reply on Falklands / Malvinas. It was e-mailed out, and this was put online. It had the feeling of a ritual, even on the only recently revealed spying programs.

  Five Latin foreign minister came and met with Ban Ki-moon. In a question and answer Inner City Press put a portion of online here, Brazil's minister Patriota said that with this meeting, they had achieved their objective for the moment.

  He did not say, but Inner City Press does, that governments come to New York to say they raised an issue to the UN. Ban Ki-moon's lack of action on the issue, or asin the case of Edward Snowden, his seeming antipathy, don't really matter to the governments that visit. They raised the issue.

  Yesterday Inner City Press critiqued the UN Department of Public Information for issuing quite different "stories" of Ban's meetings with the ministers through its English and Spanish language UN News Center stories, here. Several Permanent Representatives commented on that on Tuesday. But will they raise it to the UN? Countries just use the UN Secretariat -- and vice versa.

As was said on the NSA spying, somehow it's up to the press.

Footnotes: The Free UN Coalition for Access posed a number of questions Tuesday to the Department of Public Information, from its UN Television and Media Accreditation and Liaison Units up to their supervisor, Stephane Dujarric.

  Why were reporters for the first time banned from using the south stairs by the Security Council stakeout? The UN and Dujarric never answered; the rope remained up but it was said that one might be able to work around it, as is now said of the Turkish Lounge. This DPI and UN like to leave things gray -- that way their favorites can use it, and others not. FUNCA objects.

  Favoritism with DPI runs two ways. The first vice president of the UN's Censorship Alliance, Louis Charbonneau of Reuters, gave UN official Dujarric an internal anti-Press UNCA document three minutes after promising not to do so. Story here, audio here, document here. Now, Dujarric has additional incentive for DPI to respond only to UNCA. But respond on what? Nothing is being fixed.

  Why was the video of the UN noon briefing not online even as of 3 pm? An answer on the giving of a UN post to a Ugandan figure questioned as recently as July 31 about financial irregularities was on the video and Inner City Press was asked by some in Uganda to send to link. Without the video archive going up on a timely basis, this was impossible. But why is it getting later? This question was never answered.

  DPI big shots left the UN while the Security Council meeting continued, without apparently caring how it could or would to covered. This is today's UN -- and FUNCA objects. Watch this site.

   

American Month Ends with John Kerry - & Hate Speech? - in UN Security Council, Humility on Syria, Samantha Power in the Wings

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 29 -- As the United States' month as President of the UN Security Council comes to a close, it's time to review it as best as we can. Secretary of State John Kerry came once, on a July 25 day trip, to chair the meeting on Africa's Great Lakes region.

  While there, the Democratic Republic of the Congo's foreign minister said that all rebellions in the region bear the same "genetic signature." 

  After diplomats from a number of member states complained this was hate speech, even "genocide talk," Inner City Press asked the US Mission to the UN if it had a comment. Apparently it had none, as least as of yet.

  And outside the US Mission on July 25, after a two hour wait for a 45 second photo op of Kerry and Syria oppositionist al Jarba, Kerry told Inner City Press he hadn't heard the comment. Fine - but it was in the DRC's written speech, and is on UN Webcast.  UN video here at 1:06:20 

 (The US Mission did, we note, provide a response from Kurtis Cooper about cholera in Haiti at the beginning of the month, and from Payton Knopf about the rapes in Minova in November by the Congolese Army near the end of the month, here.)

  Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo handled the presidency ably, held a number of stakeouts; Jeffrey DeLaurentis held one, and answered questions on Darfur. But what's been done on the seven peacekeepers killed there?

  Syria was and is the "big one." Interesting, at the General Assembly session on July 29, the US was humble. While the UK's Mark Lyall Grant and even France's fill-in for Gerard Araud went to the front and inveigh, Ambassador DiCarlo spoke from her seat, later in the meeting. Will this be Samantha Power's approach when, as seems sure to happen, she arrives?

  Among diplomats asked Monday by Inner City Press about Samantha Power, a number noted things she'd said at her confirmation hearing. That the US has nothing to apologize for about the Rwanda genocide struck some more than others as a false note, inconsistent with her book "A Problem from Hell." But what will she do, once at the UN? Watch this site.

Footnote: there are three mandate renewals to be "done" on July 30. Of them, Inner City Press is told that the Cote d'Ivoire renewal might, just might, have "explanations of vote," on the draw-down of peacekeepers and on "ICC issues." Others say it will just fly through without a single explanation. We'll see.

   

To Ship Stopped in Panama, UN DPRK Sanctions Experts To Go “Very Soon,” Probe Less Clear in Darfur

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 18 -- In the wake of Panama's ship-stopping, the UN on Thursday morning was full of questions about the next steps. Luxembourg is the chair of the Democratic Republic of Korea sanctions committee; there was dark talk of the Grand Duchess Maria Teresa being born in and traveling to Havana.

  But Luxembourg's Permanent Representative to the UN Sylvie Lucas, gracious as ever in stopping to explain, told Inner City Press that the Panel of Experts does not need approval from the Sanctions Committee to go and investigate.

  After UK Permanent Representative Mark Lyall Grant tweeted that “thanks to good work by Panama, UN sanctions ctte will examine what looks like illegal Cuban arms shipment to DPRK,” US Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis, in a rare question and answer stakeout, answered that a team should be on its way “very soon.”

  The team, though, will be from the Panel of Experts. Committee chair Lucas told the Press that there is no Committee session yet scheduled until they know more.

Inner City Press asked DeLaurentis about Sudanese Permanent Representative Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman having met with the US Presidency of the Security Council on July 16. DeLaurentis confirmed the meeting, and said it mostly reiterated the points in Sudan's letter of July 15.

  Allowed a follow-up, and grateful for it, Inner City Press asked what the next steps in the investigation of the killing of seven peacekeepers in Darfur would be, given that Tanzania has said it is sending a team. DeLaurentis said that was right, but that he did not yet know the next steps. Watch this site.

   

At UN in African Declaration US Wanted More “Accountability,” EU Calls It ICC

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, April 26 -- On the African political declaration in the UN General Assembly on Friday, the United States offered support, and then criticism. 

  Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis said it didn't have enough on accountability, and shouldn't have spoken of Security Council reform as that is a matter for the “inter-governmental negotiation.”

  The European Union said much the same, that the process of negotiating the declaration was too fast, and that the result didn't speak enough (at least for the EU) about the Responsibility to Protect and the International Criminal Court. 

 (The US said “accountability" instead of ICC - since it is not a member of the ICC.)

   Inner City Press has learned that the draft declaration was presented to the EU, Norway and US, and they proposed inclusion of Protection of Civilians and R2P, among other things -- but NOT the International Criminal Court as such. But their proposals were rejected, in the African Group.

  The EU threw in another issue, which Inner City Press has been hearing about but only off the record: that the EU wants African countries to be more open to non governmental organizations' participation, particularly on human trafficking.

  Norway, which had indicated it might co-sponsor in some way the African declaration, ended up speaking and saying it supported it. In the morning, an AU representative told Inner City Press that it would be an African declaration, facilitated by South Sudan and South Africa and introduced by the Democratic Republic of Congo.

  There's a lot of talk of respect for Africa, but then always the same complaints. Watch this site.

After Fall of Bozize in CAR, France For Weaker UNSC Press Statement Than Rwanda or African Union

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, March 25, updated -- While the UN Security Council met Monday about the Central African Republic, coming out of the Council to make phone calls about draft press statement were diplomats including France's Deputy Permanent Representative Martin Briens, his counterpart from the UN Jeffrey DeLaurentis and Rwanda's Olivier Nduhungirehe.

  When the meeting ended at 7 pm, it was said that there would be no UN Television stakeout, that a press statement would be e-mailed to journalists later.

  So what happened? 

  Olivier Nduhungirehe told Inner City Press that Rwanda, “for the African Union,” pushed for a stronger press statement, for example to support the AU's March 25 Communique imposing a travel ban and asset freeze on seven Seleka and CPJP leaders -- including Seleka's Paris based spokesman Eric N. Massi.

  This was telling: France which drafted the press statement did not want to go as far as the African Union and Rwanda wanted it to go.

  By then, the new number one French spokesman was gone (seemingly to the farewell for the former number one, whose departure we've already noted); and there was no one to read the “weak” press statement out. And so it goes at the UN.

Update: here's the e-mailed out Press Statement:

CAR – PRESS STATEMENT

The members of the Security Council heard a report by M. Tayé-Brook Zerihoun, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, on the situation in the Central African Republic.

The members of the Security Council strongly condemned the recent attacks and the seizure of power by force in the Central African Republic on 24 March 2013 by the Seleka coalition, as well as the ensuing violence and looting. They also condemned the use of force, causing inter alia the deaths of and injuries to soldiers from the South Africa training contingent deployed in the Central African Republic at the request of the government.

The members of the Security Council noted the decision of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council dated March 25 to suspend the participation of the Central African Republic in all the activities of the African Union and the decision taken by this organisation against the Seleka leaders whose action violated the Libreville agreements and jeopardized the precarious stability in the Central African Republic.

The members of the Security Council called on all parties to refrain from any acts of violence against civilians, including foreign communities, to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access consistent with international law, and to fully respect international human rights law and international humanitarian law. They emphasised that those responsible for violations and abuses of international humanitarian and human rights law including violence against civilians, sexual and gender based violence and recruitment and use of children in armed conflict must be held accountable. They recalled that such violations of international humanitarian law may amount to crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, to which the Central African Republic is a State party. They called on all parties to exercise the utmost restraint and called for respect for persons and property.

The members of the Security Council called for the restoration of the rule of law, constitutional order, and the implementation of the Libreville agreements, as they represent the framework for political transition and the basis for a peaceful solution. They recalled that according to the Political agreement signed in Libreville, the government of National unity is in charge of holding legislative elections. They reaffirmed the important role of the Economic Community of the Central African States in facilitating the implementation of the Libreville agreements with the support of the African Union.

The members of the Security Council expressed their intention to monitor closely the situation and, if required, to consider further steps.