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Thursday, November 26, 1998
Humanitarian Aspects of
Sanctions Should Be Weighed
UNITED NATIONS (Agencies) -- The UN Security
Council should consider the humanitarian aspect of
sanctions before imposing an embargo, according to a
report by the chairmen of UN sanctions committees.
The Security Council is due to discuss a report by the
chairmen of committees responsible for monitoring the
implementation of sanctions in eight countries.
The report notably says that "the Security Council
should, prior to imposing a new sanctions regime,
consider the humanitarian aspect of sanctions."
It also says that the experience of recent years
confirms that in many situations "it is preferable to use
the approach of a targeted and 'flexible response' as
opposed to 'massive retaliation.'"
"Given that all the United Nations sanctions currently
in operation, with the exception of those imposed on
Iraq, are targeted sanctions, it would be useful to take
stock of the experience gained and to formulate
general guidelines," the study said.
Targeted sanctions, such as arms embargoes, flight
bans, travel bans, and freezing of financial assets are
adopted to achieve certain political objectives "without
inflicting unnecessary hardship on the general
population," the report said.
It suggested that the 15-member council should be
able to adjust sanctions regimes to "certain legitimate
needs" such as the humanitarian situation in a given
country and the legitimate needs of neighboring
states.
UN sanctions committees comprise the 15 UN
Security Council members.
UN sanctions are currently in force in Angola, Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia, Iraq, Liberia, Libya, Sierra
Leone, Somalia and Sudan. An arms embargo remains
in force against Rwandan ex-government forces.
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