§ Baroness Howells of St Davidsasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether any changes have been made in relation to United Nations sanctions against Liberia. [HL1146]
§ Baroness Scotland of AsthalUN Security Council Resolution 1344 (2001), imposing mandatory UN sanctions in relation to Liberia, was adopted on 7 March. The resolution was co-sponsored by the UK and US in response to the findings of the UN Expert Panel on Sierra Leone on violations of the Sierra Leone arms embargo and the link between the trade in diamonds and arms. The Security Council determined that the active support provided by the Government of Liberia for armed rebel groups in neighbouring countries, and in particular the RUF in Sierra Leone, constitutes a threat to international peace and security in the region.
The new measures are as follows:
- an embargo on the export of arms and related material to Liberia, and a ban on the provision to Liberia of related technical assistance and training;
- a ban on the import by UN member states of any rough diamonds from Liberia, whether or not such diamonds originated in Liberia;
- a travel ban on senior members of the Liberian military and their spouses and any other individuals providing financial and military support to armed rebel groups in countries neighbouring Liberia, as designated by the UN Sanctions Committee;
The diamond embargo and the travel ban will enter into force on 7 May, unless the Security Council determines before that date that Liberia has complied with its demands. These include the key demands that the Government of Liberia should cease all financial and military support for the RUF and should cease all imports of Sierra Leone rough diamonds in breach of UN sanctions.
The arms embargo and the ban on the provision of related technical assistance and training, which entered into force immediately upon the adoption of the resolution, are established for a period of 14 months. The other measures will be established for a period of 12 months. At the end of this period, the Council will decide whether the Government of Liberia has complied with its demands and, accordingly, whether to extend these measures for a further period.
The resolution lifts the former arms embargo imposed on Liberia by UN Security Council Resolution 788 (1992) in response to concerns regarding the civil war in that country.
New Orders will be made to implement the new measures in the UK, the Crown Dependencies and the Overseas Territories under the United Nations Act (1946) and by other legislative and adminstrative means as necessary.