11 March 2002

USUN Official Urges Enforcement of Embargo on Weapons to Somalia

Speaking in the U.N. General Assembly March 11, Ambassador Richard Williamson, U.S. alternate representative to the United Nations for special political affairs, called attention to the everyday dangers facing U.N. personnel in Somalia.

He particularly condemned "those responsible for the recent death of one UNICEF worker and the kidnapping of the UNICEF program director based in Mogadishu."

In a USUN press release issued March 11, Williamson said the United States remains "committed to removing the terrorist threat in Somalia, and ensuring against Somalia's use as a terrorist base."

He called on all parties in Somalia to observe the provisions of Security Council Resolution 1373, which calls for a general and complete embargo on all deliveries of weapons and military equipment to Somalia.

Following is the text of the USUN press release:

Statement by Ambassador Richard S. Williamson, United States Alternate Representative on the Security Council, on the Situation in Somalia, in the Security Council, March 11, 2002

We would like to welcome our Somali friends, Foreign Minister Yusuf Hassan Ibrahim and other members of the transitional government back to the Security Council. We note their efforts to comply with the provisions of Security Council Resolution 1373 and appreciate their contributions to date in the war against terrorism. We remain committed to working with all Somalis dedicated to the tasks of combating terrorism; ensuring a secure environment for the delivery of humanitarian assistance, promoting economic development; and overcoming long-term governance challenges.

We thank the Secretary-General for the recent report on Somalia and share his concern over the lack of progress on political reconciliation. We too remain concerned over continued violence throughout Somalia. In particular, we condemn those responsible for the recent death of one UNICEF worker and the kidnapping of the UNICEF program director based in Mogadishu. Those incidents point out once again the very dangers that UN personnel face each day in Somalia.

We commend the UN for their continued efforts to assist civilians in need through the provision of humanitarian assistance and promoting economic development where feasible. We share the Secretary-General's concern over the worsening humanitarian situation, which is compounded by the level of violence, which threatens to reduce humanitarian assistance operations. We support the Secretary-General's recommendation for the establishment of a "Friends of Somalia" Group, constituted both in Nairobi and here in New York.

We would also like to express our appreciation to Mr. David Stephen, the former Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Somalia, for his dedicated and tireless work. We welcome Mr. Winston Tubman, the Secretary-General's new SRSG for Somalia, and pledge to work with him as we move forward.

We fully concur with the assessment of the security situation in Somalia based upon the recommendations of the UN HQS inter-agency mission and their recommendation not to re-establish the peacebuilding office in Mogadishu at this time. As the members recall, the inter-agency composition of the UN mission was intended to ensure that those UN departments responsible for conducting operations in Somalia would have an opportunity to evaluate the security situation on the ground from the perspective of their humanitarian and political operational requirements. Those officials contributed to the final assessment contained in the report. We believe that those UN departments, in conjunction with UN security officials, are best suited to make a judgement concerning the UN presence in Somalia.

We remain committed to removing the terrorist threat in Somalia, and ensuring against Somalia's use as a terrorist base. To that end, we call upon all parties in Somalia to observe the provisions of Security Council Resolution 1373. We also seek to prevent developments in Somalia from threatening regional peace and stability. Security Council Resolution 733, which calls for a general and complete embargo on all deliveries of weapons and military equipment to Somalia, remains in force and is relevant to the fight against terrorism as well as the quest for peace and reconciliation. All states have a continuing obligation to implement resolution 1373 fully and completely.

We appreciate the leadership demonstrated by Bulgaria in reconvening the 733 Committee, and stand to ready to assist the Committee in developing strategies that will result in an effective arms embargo for Somalia.

We support Somali and regional efforts intended to promote national reconciliation and overcome the long-term governance challenges that terrorists have exploited to make Somalia a base. Specifically, we call upon all Somali parties to attend the April National Reconciliation Conference in Kenya -- sponsored by President Moi, endorsed by both Ethiopia and Djibouti, and carried out under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority for Development -- IGAD -- without reservations or pre-conditions.

We also call upon neighboring states to play a constructive role in efforts aimed at Somalia political reconciliation, and request that they encourage all Somali parties to attend the conference and approach it with the goal of fostering political stability in Somalia.

We believe that ultimately, the Somali people control their own political destiny, and must choose to lay down their arms and end the interminable cycle of violence that has engulfed Somalia since 1991. Nonetheless we also recognize that the international community and we must also do our part.

The international community has once again turned attention to Somalia -- and is ready to demonstrate its commitment to assist in political reconciliation, and economic development. It is now up to the Somali people to turn away from warlordism and for those states which seek to play a constructive role, to demonstrate their willingness to put the failures of the past behind, and work together for a new Somalia.