Mixed progress reported by Security Council panel on use of sanctions

After two years of deliberations, a Security Council panel looking at the use of sanctions has reached consensus on many issues but remains unable to agree on recommendations for how long such punitive measures should be in place, the President of the Council said today.

The Informal Working Group on General Issues of Sanctions has met over the past two years under the Chairmanship of Ambassador Martin Belinga-Eboutou of Cameroon, both in formal and informal sessions, to consider a draft outcome document concerning the Council's use of sanctions as a policy instrument, Ambassador Stefan Tafrov of Bulgaria told the press.

That Group has "discussed and reached consensus on many issues in the outcome document concerning sanctions design, administration and implementation. Many of these recommendations and proposals have already been put into practice by the Security Council or Sanctions Committees," he said.

However, "despite concerted efforts by the Chairman and members of the Group, there remain divergent views on the recommended duration and termination of sanctions," he said. "The members of the Working Group agree to continue working towards achieving a consensus on these issues."

Meanwhile, Group members have also familiarized themselves with the results of the Interlaken, Bonn-Berlin and Stockholm Processes. "The Group finds the ideas and recommendations generated in the three processes very useful as they contribute to the fine-tuning and effective implementation of sanctions," Ambassador Tafrov said.

The Bonn-Berlin Process focused on arms embargoes and travel related sanctions, while the Interlaken Process concentrated on the identification of basic legal and administrative requirements for national implementation of financial sanctions. The Stockholm Process dealt with how the UN and Member States can ensure effective monitoring of compliance and enforcement, and how best to assist Member States in implementing sanctions regimes.

The Council President said Ambassador Belinga-Eboutou suggested today extending the Group's mandate for another year.