DATE=8/4/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SIERRA LEONE / U-N (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-265150
BYLINE=LARRY FREUND
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United Nations Security Council today
(Friday) extended the mandate for U-N peacekeepers in
Sierra Leone for another month and at the same time
called for a tougher response by peacekeepers to
hostile action from rebel forces. Correspondent Larry
Freund reports from New York.
TEXT: The Security Council voted unanimously to
approve a resolution extending the peacekeeping
mission in Sierra Leone for another month.
In that same resolution, the Council says that in the
face of threats from Sierra Leone's rebels, the
structure, capability, resources and mandate of the
peacekeeping force in Sierra Leone require
strengthening. The Council specifically says the
peacekeepers should, where necessary, counter the
threat of attack by the rebel Revolutionary United
Front - the R-U-F - by responding robustly to any
hostile actions or threat of imminent and direct use
of force.
Britain's ambassador to the United Nations, Jeremy
Greenstock, calls the Security Council's action an
extremely important step, preparing the ground, he
says, for the reinforcement and strengthening of the
mandate of the peacekeeping force.
/// Greenstock actuality ///
It's time for the R-U-F to take a decision to
stop their fighting, to stop opposing the
government and to take the political route to a
resolution of this problem. The Security
Council is going to go on reinforcing this
capability to deal with them until they realize
that the military option is pointless.
/// End actuality ///
The Security Council resolution directs the U-N
peacekeeping force in Sierra Leone - UNAMSIL - toward
certain specific tasks, such as maintaining the
security of the Lungi and Freetown peninsulas and
their major approach routes. United States
representative Nancy Soderberg describes the
resolution as an important and historic step forward.
/// Soderberg actuality ///
In today's resolution, the Council recognizes
that UNAMSIL's task and policy objectives must
be defined before the Council decides on
appropriate troop levels and resources required
to insure the success of the mission. It is our
expectation and intention to support, after
close examination of the details, the request
for strengthening of UNAMSIL that we expect to
receive from the Secretary-General.
/// End actuality ///
U-N Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said he expects
to request the strengthening of the peacekeeping force
in Sierra Leone. The current force has a maximum
authorized strength of 13 thousand. Diplomats have
discussed raising the troop level to 16-thousand-
500.(signed)
NEB/NY/LSF/JBM
2
1
04-Aug-2000 15:00 PM LOC (04-Aug-2000 1900 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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