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Inter-Agency Standing Committee: "The design of a sanctions regime should therefore take fully into account international human rights instruments and humanitarian standards established by the Geneva Conventions" (29 Dec 97)



The Inter-Agency Standing Committee includes the UNDP, UN High Commissioner
for Refugees, WFP, FAO, UNICEF, WHO, International Federation of the Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies, ICRC, InterAction, UNHCHR and the World
Bank.  See http://www.reliefweb.int/iasc/

On 29 December 1997 the Inter-Agency Standing Committee submitted the
following statement to the Security Council:

"The design of a sanctions regime should therefore take fully into account
international human rights instruments and humanitarian standards
established by the Geneva Conventions".

See below for the full text.

***********************************
http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/letters/1998/s1998147.htm
Distr.
GENERAL
S/1998/147
23 February 1998
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
LETTER DATED 20 FEBRUARY 1998 FROM THE SECRETARY-GENERAL ADDRESSED TO THE
PRESIDENT OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL

I should like to call the attention of the members of the Security Council
to the attached statement of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee on the
humanitarian impact of sanctions. The Committee, established pursuant to
General Assembly resolution 46/182 of 19 December 1991, includes
representatives of United Nations organizations and intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations active in humanitarian assistance operations.

I believe that the statement will contribute to the deliberations of the
Council and hope that members of the Council will give full consideration to
the various issues raised therein.

(Signed) Kofi A. ANNAN

Annex

Statement dated 29 December 1997 by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee to
the Security Council on the humanitarian impact of sanctions

1. The Inter-Agency Standing Committee notes that sanctions have been
resorted to by the Security Council and other authorities for the purpose of
maintaining international peace and security. The Committee expresses its
concern with respect to the humanitarian impact of such measures and
strongly believes that adverse humanitarian consequences on civilian
populations should be avoided. The design of a sanctions regime should
therefore take fully into account international human rights instruments and
humanitarian standards established by the Geneva Conventions.

2. The Inter-Agency Standing Committee considers that the Security Council
and other sanctions authorities would benefit from comprehensive information
and objective analysis of the potential humanitarian impact of sanctions
when deciding on the imposition of sanctions. They would also benefit from
information on the evolution of the humanitarian requirements under a
sanctions regime on a regular basis. The Committee expresses its readiness
to support the Emergency Relief Coordinator in making such information and
analysis available to the Security Council. To that end, the Committee has
established an inter-agency technical group, drawing on the expertise within
the office of the Emergency Relief Coordinator, as well as United Nations
agencies and other humanitarian organizations, to further elaborate
indicators to assess and monitor the humanitarian impact of sanctions.

3. Furthermore, the Committee reaffirms its view that sanctions should not
impede the work of humanitarian organizations in providing humanitarian
assistance to the civilian population in the targeted countries. It welcomes
the efforts of the Security Council to ensure that humanitarian exemptions
are included in sanctions regimes. It suggests that these exemptions and the
exemptions procedures should be reviewed regularly and adjusted in the light
of the humanitarian requirements under the sanctions regime.

4. The Inter-Agency standing Committee supports the Emergency Relief
Coordinator in undertaking consultations with the Security Council on the
assessments of the humanitarian impact of sanctions, as well as on
exemptions procedures to ensure the timely provision of humanitarian
assistance to people in need.

Nathaniel Hurd
Iraq Sanctions Project (ISP) Associate
Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR)
162 Montague Street, 2nd Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11201
USA
Tel.: 718-237-9145, x 21
Fax: 718-237-9147
Mobile: 917-407-3389
Personal E-Fax: 707-221-7449
E-mail: nhurd@cesr.org
Website: http://www.cesr.org/isp

*The contents of this message may contain personal views which are not the
views of ISP, unless specifically stated*

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