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| Masood Khan briefs press at UN Headquarters [PHOTO: UNifeed] |
New York: Ambassador Masood Khan of Pakistan, which holds the rotating
presidency of the Security Council for this month, told a news conference at UN
Headquarters that Syria remains "a priority for the
Council" and diplomatic efforts are
continuing "even as we speak."
Khan said he has been informed by Joint UN-Arab League Envoy
Lakhdar Brahimi that he is currently engaging Moscow, the United States,
Damascus and other regional leaders, "making all efforts to pave the way
for some diplomatic breakthrough."
Khan highlighted the role being played by Russia and the
United States as they make "honest endeavours to resolve this issue, this
thorny issue, and to also to move towards some sort of middle ground."
The Council, Khan told reporters, will also focus on a
number of issues this month that are part of its regular agenda, including
developments in the Central African Republic, the Middle East, Sudan and South Sudan,
and Darfur, among others.
He said there was "huge concern about concentration of
extremist elements in Mali, and the Council is serious about this threat and it
will continue to work with the African Union to come up with a concrete
response to this challenge."
On the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Khan called
for a cease fire which "would usher in an era of stability" and added
that the situation is "worrisome" and the cessation of hostilities
"should be respected by all sides."
The Pakistani Ambassador announced that his delegation will
convene a ministerial-level open debate on a comprehensive approach to counter
terrorism on 15 January.
The meeting, which will be chaired by Pakistani Foreign
Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, is expected to draw participation at the
ministerial level and feature a briefing from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
He said peacekeeping and terrorism, issues which are
particularly relevant for Pakistan, as well as for the wider international
community, will feature prominently in the work of the Security Council in
January. -UNifeed