VZCZCXYZ0004
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #1141 2661930
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O P 221926Z SEP 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO RUEHOU/AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU PRIORITY 0000

UNCLAS STATE 101141 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PRUM
SUBJECT: INSTRUCTION ON PRST ON MEDIATION AND SETTLEMENT 
OF DISPUTES FOR SEPTEMBER 23 
 
¶1.  USUN is authorized to join consensus on the following 
PRST on Mediation and Settlement of Disputes due to be 
adopted on September 23, 2008. 
 
Begin text: 
 
The Security Council recalls the Purposes and Principles of 
the Charter of the United Nations, and reaffirms its 
commitment to the pacific settlement of disputes, including 
through mediation, in conformity with the Charter of the 
United Nations, in particular Chapter VI. The Council recalls 
all its relevant previous statements and resolutions. 
 
The Security Council underlines the importance of mediation 
as a means of pacific settlement of disputes, and encourages 
the further use of this mechanism in the settlement of 
disputes.  The Council reaffirms the crucial role of the 
United Nations in this regard. 
 
The Council affirms that, as the organ with the primary 
responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and 
security, it has a responsibility to promote and support 
mediation as an important means of pacific settlement of 
disputes. 
 
The Security Council emphasizes the importance of the actions 
undertaken by the Secretary-General, in using his good 
offices and his representatives and special envoys, and 
United Nations mediators in promoting mediation and in the 
pacific settlement of disputes. The Council takes notes of 
the establishment of the Department of Political Affairs, 
Mediation Support Unit, which provides expertise for 
supporting the mediation efforts of the United Nations, 
regional and sub-regional organizations. 
 
The Security Council requests the Secretary-General to 
continue to ensure that mediation processes conducted by or 
under the auspices of the United Nations are guided by the 
Purposes and Principles of the Organization and that 
mediators  are experienced, impartial, have a good knowledge 
of all the stakeholders, facts and circumstances of any 
dispute to which they have been assigned, are provided with 
the necessary support and flexibility to approach mediation 
according to the specificities of the disputes; to this end, 
the Council encourages the Secretary-General to consider ways 
to strengthen the Secretariat,s capabilities. 
 
The Security Council notes the important contribution of 
regional and subregional organizations, civil society, and 
other stakeholders to the pacific settlement of disputes, in 
particular through mediation, and commends them for their 
efforts. The Council is resolved to strengthen United Nations 
support to such mediation efforts through improved 
cooperation, in particular in Africa; the Council encourages 
other bilateral and multilateral partners to do likewise. 
 
The Security Council underlines the importance of engaging 
the potential and the existing capacities and capabilities of 
regional and subregional organizations in mediation efforts, 
and welcomes the promotion of regional approaches to the 
pacific settlement of disputes. 
 
The Security Council notes that women have an important role 
to play in the settlement of disputes, stresses the 
importance of their equal participation and full involvement 
in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and 
security, and calls upon the Secretary-General of the United 
Nations and the heads of regional and subregional 
organizations to take into account the gender aspect during 
mediators selection, as well as the approach and perspective 
that women can render in mediation process. 
 
The Security Council highlights the importance of considering 
peace-building and recovery requirements in the mediation 
process to help build the foundations for sustainable peace, 
and stresses that the Peace-Building commission has a role to 
play in the promotion of mediation. 
 
The Security Council emphasizes the need to ensure the 
coherence of mediation processes by or under the auspices of 
the United Nations, through the improved coordination of 
efforts with others actors, including regional and 
subregional organizations, in order to enhance the 
effectiveness of international efforts. 
 
The Security Council also stresses that no mediation 
initiative can be viable without ownership and full 
involvement of all relevant parties to the dispute throughout 
the process. The Council reaffirms that conflict prevention 
and pacific settlement of disputes, should be at the core of 
mediation efforts. 
 
The Security Council requests the Secretary-General to 
submit, within six months of the adoption of this statement, 
a report on mediation and its support activities, which takes 
into account experiences of the United Nations and other key 
actors, and makes recommendations for enhancing the 
effectiveness of the United Nations mediation. 
RICE