Security Council's programme for October to be wide-ranging, president says

The Security Council's programme of work for October will range from a much-anticipated report on Kosovo as well as elections in Lebanon and Liberia to the problems of children caught up in armed conflict, the Permanent Representative of Romania, which holds the rotating presidency for the month, said today.

Ambassador Mihnea Ioan Motoc also said the Council was shattered by the news that a United Nations security officer had been killed by a gunman in Somalia, "a difficult environment to operate in."

He told a news conference the issues before the Council in October would include the result of the 15 October election in Lebanon, the result of the referendum in Iraq scheduled for the same day, and the expected presentation on 24 October of Secretary-General Kofi Annan's report on Kosovo. The Liberian election is scheduled for 11 October.

The Council would also hold two thematic debates, he added. One, on 17 October, deals with cooperation between the UN and 10 major regional organizations on developments around the world. The other will be held on 27 October, the fifth anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), which called for more information about women, gender, war and peace.

Among the topics that had been discussed previously, Mr. Motoc said, he expected the Council to look again at the issues stemming from the situations of children in armed conflicts and Council resolution 1625, which focused on conflict prevention in general, but with specific reference to Africa.

Answering a question on security in Somalia, Mr. Motoc said it was important to get the institutional and political process back on track according to the reconciliation framework that had previously been agreed by Somali factions and welcomed by the Council. This, he said, should bring more stability to the country, he noted, adding that the contribution of regional organizations, such as the African Union (AU), could be discussed.