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Dr Congo, Middle East and Côte D'ivoire to Dominate Security Council

The situations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Côte d'Ivoire, as well as instability in the Middle East and general threats to international peace will dominate the Security Council's <"http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/index.html">
work in January, the 15-member body agreed today after holding its first consultations of 2007.

Ambassador Vitaly Churkin of Russia, which holds this month's Council presidency, told a press conference after the meeting that developments in Nepal, Haiti and the issue of Abkhaz separatists in Georgia, are also expected to be discussed, along with nuclear non-proliferation and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

"On Monday January 8 the Council will hold a debate on the important subject of threats to international peace and security, with the participation of Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. Hopefully we will adopt a presidential statement at that meeting," Mr. Churkin told reporters. This will be the Council's first public debate with the new Secretary-General.

"The Council will continue to monitor closely the situation in the Middle East... the traditional briefing is scheduled for January 25 to be followed by closed consultations. As usual the Security Council will be dealing a lot with the problems of Africa. The situation in DRC and Côte d'Ivoire will remain the focus of attention."

He said next Tuesday the Council would also consider the extension of the mandate of the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (<" http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unoci/index.html">UNOCI) as well as that of the French forces supporting it, both of which expire on 10 January. This month the Council will also have to decide on the mandate of the UN Mission in Eritrea and Ethiopia (<" http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmee/index.html">UNMEE), which expires on 31 January.

Developments in Somalia, Chad and Sudan, including Darfur, as well as the Central African Republic (CAR) and other cross-border issues in the region, will also be monitored closely by the Council, Mr. Churkin added.

Source: United Nations