Security Council concerned over delay of Jenin fact-finding team

Members of the United Nations Security Council today voiced concern over the continued delay in the arrival of a fact-finding team mandated to develop accurate information on recent events at the Jenin refugee camp on the West Bank, according to the President of the 15-member body.

Members of the United Nations Security Council today voiced concern over the continued delay in the arrival of a fact-finding team mandated to develop accurate information regarding recent events at the Jenin refugee camp on the West Bank, acccording to the President of the 15-member body.

The members "strongly support the Secretary-General in his efforts to ensure the immediate deployment of the fact-finding team to Jenin with full cooperation of Israel and the Palestinian Authority," Ambassador Sergey Lavrov of the Russian Federation said in a statement to the press following a closed-door meeting. He stressed that the members "remain firm in their insistence on full implementation of Council resolution 1405 (2002)" which welcomed the mission, originally initiated by Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Voicing full backing for letters sent by Mr. Annan to Israeli Ambassador Yehuda Lancry and the Observer for Palestine, Nasser Al-Kidwa, the President said Council members "expect a positive report" from the Secretary-General by tomorrow.

"The position of the members of the Council has been conveyed to Ambassador Lancry," Ambassador Lavrov added.

During their consultations, Council members were briefed by the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Kieran Prendergast.