RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY: THE INTRODUCTION OF UN SANCTIONS AGAINST LIBERIA WILL HELP STABILISE THE SITUATION IN THE REGION








MOSCOW, March 8, 2001. / RIA Novosti correspondent Alexander Smotrov /. Russia hopes that the introduction of UNSC sanctions against Liberia will help stabilise the situation and advance peace processes in Western Africa. The Russian foreign ministry's press department has disclosed this in its press release.


	In the Russian foreign ministry's opinion, Resolution No. 1343, which was unanimously adopted by the UN Security Council the day before, "is the adequate reaction of the international community to the Liberian leadership's support of the anti-government armed grouping in Sierra Leone and the rebels' attacks on Guinea from the Liberian territory". The Russian foreign ministry noted that the Liberian authorities' position seriously destabilised the situation in that region of Africa.


	The UN sanctions envisage an embargo on arms and munitions supplies to Liberia, a ban on imports of all raw diamonds from that country, and restrictions on foreign trips by senior officials of the Liberian government and its armed forces, and any other persons rendering support to armed rebels' groups in the adjacent countries.


	Meanwhile, Russia, as its foreign ministry said, actively worked for the UN resolution to mirror positive tendencies which were developing of late in UN practices concerning the imposition of the sanctions. The timeframe for the application of sanctions - 12 and 14 months for different categories of sanctions - was firmly established. Should the Liberian government fail to comply with the UNSC's demands before the expiry of the given term, the issue of the possible prolongation of these sanctions would be examined by the Council again.


	The UN sanctions will take effect two months after the adoption of the resolution, which gives Monrovia an opportunity to comply with the demands. The resolution provides for the necessary humanitarian exemptions from the regime of sanctions, which would make it possible to avoid their negative effect on the social-economic situation of the Liberian population. The Russian foreign ministry stresses in conclusion that the basic principles, which regard the imposition of UN sanctions as one of the most effective instruments in the international community's arsenal, will thus be enhanced.