Security Council resolution 1731(2006) [on renewal of the measures on arms, travel and diamonds imposed on Liberia by resolution 1521 (2003)]
Symbol: S/RES/1731(2006)
Date: 2006-12-20
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/61 [89] LIBERIA SITUATION
Subjects: UN. Security Council Committee Established pursuant to Resolution 1521 (2003) concerning Liberia|Liberia. National Transitional Government|UN Mission in Liberia|UN. Panel of Experts Established pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1647 (2005)|Liberia. President|UN. Group of Experts Established pursuant to Paragraph 7 of Security Council Resolution 1584 (2005)|UN. Panel of Experts Established pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1647 (2005) > Members|Kimberley Process|Charter of the United Nations (1945). Chapter VII|SANCTIONS|ARMS EMBARGO|TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS|CONFLICT DIAMONDS|SANCTIONS COMPLIANCE|LIBERIA|LIBERIA SITUATION|ARMAMENTS|EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES|POLICE|CERTIFICATES OF ORIGIN|FOREST PRODUCTS|GROUPS OF EXPERTS|FACT-FINDING MISSIONS|NEIGHBOURING STATES|REPORT PREPARATION|ILLICIT ARMS TRAFFICKING|CRIMINAL ASSETS|FORESTRY LEGISLATION|TIMBER|RECOMMENDATIONS|APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS|INFORMATION EXCHANGE
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: ARGENTINA
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: CONGO
vote: yes
country: DENMARK
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GHANA
vote: yes
country: GREECE
vote: yes
country: JAPAN
vote: yes
country: PERU
vote: yes
country: QATAR
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SLOVAKIA
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                   S/RES/1731 (2006)
               Security Council                                                 Distr.: General
                                                                                20 December 2006




               Resolution 1731 (2006)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 5602nd meeting, on
               20 December 2006

                    The Security Council,
                     Recalling its previous resolutions and statements by its President on the
               situation in Liberia and West Africa,
                     Welcoming the sustained progress made by the Government of Liberia since
               January 2006, in rebuilding Liberia for the benefit of all Liberians, with the support
               of the international community,
                     Recalling its decision not to renew the measures in paragraph 10 of resolution
               1521 (2003) regarding round log and timber products originating in Liberia, and
               stressing that Liberia’s progress in the timber sector must continue with the effective
               implementation and enforcement of the National Forestry Reform Law signed into
               law on 5 October 2006, including the resolution of land and tenure rights,
                     Welcoming the Government of Liberia’s continuing cooperation with the
               Kimberley Process Certification Scheme and noting Liberia’s progress towards
               putting in place the necessary internal controls and other requirements in order to
               satisfy the minimum requirements of the Kimberley Process,
                     Stressing the continuing importance of the United Nations Mission in Liberia
               (UNMIL) in improving security through Liberia and helping the new Government
               establish its authority throughout the country, particularly in the diamond and
               timber-producing regions, and border areas,
                    Recognizing the need for newly vetted and trained Liberian security forces to
               assume greater responsibility for national security, and taking note of the need for
               Liberian armed forces to procure humanitarian, medical and/or training equipment,
                    Taking note of the report of the United Nations Panel of Experts on Liberia
               dated 20 December 2006 (S/2006/976), including on the issues of diamonds, timber,
               rubber, and arms,
                    Having reviewed the measures imposed by paragraphs 2, 4, and 6 of resolution
               1521 (2003) and paragraph 1 of resolution 1532 (2004) and the progress towards
               meeting the conditions set out by paragraphs 5 and 7 of resolution 1521 (2003), and
               concluding that insufficient progress has been made towards that end,



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                     Underlining its determination to support the Government of Liberia in its
               efforts to meet those conditions, and encouraging donors to do likewise,
                     Determining that, despite significant progress having been made in Liberia, the
               situation there continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security in
               the region,
                    Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,
                    1.   Decides, on the basis of its assessment of progress made to date towards
               meeting the conditions for lifting the measures imposed by resolution 1521 (2003):
                     (a) To renew the measures on arms imposed by paragraph 2 of resolution
               1521 (2003) and modified by paragraphs 1 and 2 of resolution 1683 (2006) and to
               renew the measures on travel imposed by paragraph 4 of resolution 1521 (2003) for
               a further period of 12 months from the date of adoption of this resolution;
                     (b) That the measures on arms imposed by paragraph 2 (a) and (b) of
               resolution 1521 (2003) shall not apply to supplies of non-lethal military equipment,
               excluding non-lethal weapons and ammunition, as notified in advance to the
               Committee established by paragraph 21 of resolution 1521 (2003), intended solely
               for use by members of the Government of Liberia police and security forces who
               have been vetted and trained since the inception of the United Nations Mission in
               Liberia (UNMIL) in October 2003;
                     (c) To renew the measures on diamonds imposed by paragraph 6 of
               resolution 1521 (2003) and renewed by paragraph 4 of resolution 1689 (2006) for an
               additional six (6) months with a review by the Council after four (4) months, to
               allow the Government of Liberia sufficient time to establish an effective Certificate
               of Origin regime for trade in Liberian rough diamonds that is transparent and
               internationally verifiable, with a view to joining the Kimberley Process, and calls
               upon the Government of Liberia to provide the Sanctions Committee, established
               according to paragraph 21 of resolution 1521 (2003) with a detailed description of
               the proposed regime;
                     (d) To review any of the above measures at the request of the Government of
               Liberia, once the Government reports to the Council that the conditions set out in
               resolution 1521 (2003) for terminating the measures have been met, and provides
               the Council with information to justify its assessment;
                    2.    Notes that the measures imposed by paragraph 1 of resolution 1532
               (2004) remain in force and reconfirms its intention to review these measures at least
               once a year;
                     3.   Encourages the Government of Liberia to benefit from UNMIL’s offer to
               provide joint patrols with the Forestry Development Authority with a view to
               strengthening Government control in forestry areas;
                    4.    Decides to extend the mandate of the current Panel of Experts appointed
               pursuant to paragraph 5 of resolution 1689 (2006) for a further period until 20 June
               2007 to undertake the following tasks:
                     (a) To conduct a follow-up assessment mission to Liberia and neighbouring
               States, in order to investigate and compile a report on the implementation, and any
               violations, of the measures imposed by resolution 1521 (2003) and renewed in
               paragraphs 1 and 2 above, including any information relevant to the designation by


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           the Committee of the individuals described in paragraph 4 (a) of resolution 1521
           (2003) and paragraph 1 of resolution 1532 (2004), and including the various sources
           of financing, such as from natural resources, for the illicit trade of arms;
                 (b) To assess the impact of and effectiveness of the measures imposed by
           paragraph 1 of resolution 1532 (2004), including particularly with respect to the
           assets of former President Charles Taylor;
                 (c) To assess the implementation of forestry legislation passed by the
           Liberian Congress on 19 September 2006 and signed into law by President Johnson-Sirleaf on 5 October 2006 and the progress and humanitarian and socio-economic
           impact of the measures imposed by paragraphs 2, 4 and 6 of resolution 1521 (2003)
           and renewed in paragraph 1 of resolution 1647 (2005);
                 (d) To report to the Council through the Committee by 6 June 2007 on all the
           issues listed in this paragraph, and to provide informal updates to the Committee as
           appropriate before that date, especially on progress towards meeting the conditions
           for lifting the measures imposed by paragraph 6 of resolution 1521 (2003) and on
           progress in the timber sector since the lifting of paragraph 10 of resolution 1521
           (2003) in June 2006;
                 (e) To cooperate with other relevant groups of experts, in particular that
           established on Côte d’Ivoire by resolution 1708 (2006) of 14 September 2006, and
           with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme;
                 (f) To identify and make recommendations regarding areas where the
           capacity of States in the region can be strengthened to facilitate the implementation
           of the measures imposed by paragraph 4 of resolution 1521 (2003) and paragraph 1
           of resolution 1532 (2004);
                 5.    Requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary measures, in this
           exceptional instance, to re-appoint the current members of the Panel of Experts as
           referred to in his letter to the President of the Security Council dated 27 June 2006
           (S/2006/438) and to make the necessary financial and security arrangements to
           support the work of the Panel;
                 6.   Calls upon all States and the Government of Liberia to cooperate fully
           with the Panel of Experts in all the aspects of its mandate;
                 7.   Encourages the Kimberley Process to inform, as appropriate, the
           Security Council through its Committee about any possible follow-up visit to
           Liberia and its assessment of progress made by the Liberian Government towards
           joining the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme;
                8.    Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.




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