Security Council expects full Israeli cooperation with UN fact-finding mission

Members of the United Nations Security Council have called on Israel to cooperate with a fact-finding team – initiated by Secretary-General Kofi Annan and welcomed by the Council last week – which is set to travel to the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank to develop accurate information regarding recent events there.

The President of the Council, Ambassador Sergey Lavrov of the Russian Federation, said that the 15-member body “fully supported the Secretary-General’s efforts” to implement last week’s resolution 1405, which welcomed the Secretary-General’s Jenin initiative.

“They expect its expeditious implementation and full cooperation of Israel with the Secretary-General and with the fact-finding team,” Ambassador Lavrov said in a press statement released on Tuesday evening following closed-door consultations.

Through the statement, Council members also voiced “serious concern” for the safety of Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat. “They emphasized that there must be no harm to him or others in the compound,” said Ambassador Lavrov. “The siege must be lifted and Chairman Arafat must have full freedom of movement to fully carry out his functions.”