Annan calls on Security Council to be ‘imaginative’ in pre-empting conflicts

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan called on the Security Council today to exercise imagination and influence in its key role of pre-empting volatile issues before they erupt into full-fledged threats to peace.

“Let us be imaginative. Let us use what influence we have. And let us focus on implementation,” Mr. Annan said in remarks at the outset of a meeting of the 15-member body on “The role of the Security Council in the Pacific Settlement of Disputes.”

Noting efforts to prevent or mitigate conflicts, including use of the Secretary-General’s good offices and Council missions like one to West Africa later this week, Mr. Annan said: “I think we would all agree that these efforts have achieved mixed results. We have seen both innovation and inertia. We have seen genuine displays of political will, and instances where the Council has failed to dissuade the parties to a conflict from using force.”

While primary responsibility for avoiding conflict rested with the parties concerned, Mr. Annan outlined the tools the Council had at its disposal and the “key role” it could play.

“You can help identify and address root causes early, when the opportunities for constructive dialogue and other peaceful means are greatest,” he said. “You can ensure an integrated approach that brings together all factors and all actors, including civil society. And you can support the other UN organs in their efforts to resolve disputes and address volatile issues before they erupt into full-fledged threats to international peace and security.”