United Nations Security Council Resolution 1511

UN Security Council
Resolution 1511
Date: 16 October 2003
Meeting no.: 4,844
Code: S/RES/1511 (Document)

Vote: For: 15 Abs.: 0 Against: 0
Subject: The situation between Iraq and Kuwait
Result: Adopted

Security Council composition in 2003:
permanent members:

 CHN  FRA  RUS  UK  USA

non-permanent members:
 ANG  BUL  CHI  CMR  ESP
 GER  GUI  MEX  PAK  SYR

Imam Ali Mosque in Iraq

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1511, adopted unanimously on October 16, 2003, after reaffirming previous resolutions on Iraq, particularly 1483 (2003) and 1500 (2003), and Resolution 1373 (2001) on terrorism, the Council urged countries to contribute towards a multinational force to maintain security and called for power to returned to the Iraqi people as soon as possible.[1]

During discussions prior to the adoption of Resolution 1511, Council members were presented with a choice between ending the occupation soon or approving a longer, temporary occupation; they eventually chose the latter option, effectively authorising the international presence in Iraq.[2] The resolution was drafted by the United States and sponsored by Cameroon, Spain and the United Kingdom.[3][4]

Contents

Resolution

Observations

The Security Council reaffirmed the right of the Iraqi people to determine their own political future and control their own natural resources. International support in restoring stability and security was essential for the well-being of the people of Iraq. It welcomed an announcement of the Iraqi Governing Council to prepare for a conference to draft a constitution. Meanwhile, bombings against the Jordanian and Turkish embassies, the Imam Ali Mosque and United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, the murder of a Spanish diplomat and the assassination of Aqila al-Hashimi were condemned as attacks against the future of the country.

Acts

Acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Council emphasised the temporary nature of the Coalition Provisional Authority and welcomed the positive response of the international community to the establishment of the Governing Council.[5] It supported the efforts of the Governing Council to mobilise the Iraqi people and determined that the Council and its ministers are the principle bodies of the Iraqi interim administration that embodied Iraqi sovereignty. In this regard, the Provisional Authority was asked to return power to the Iraqi people as soon as practicable, while the Governing Council was called upon to provide a timetable for drafting a new constitution and elections.[6] It reaffirmed the role of the United Nations in the country, through the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) and the provision of humanitarian aid and economic reconstruction, and the Secretary-General Kofi Annan was asked to provide any resources requested by the Governing Council.[7]

Additionally, the resolution authorised the creation of a multinational force to contribute towards the security and stability in Iraq by protecting United Nations, humanitarian and Iraqi infrastructure.[8] International contributions were requested for the international force and the Security Council would review the mission within a year of the adoption of the current resolution, while the United States, acting on behalf of the force, was directed to report every six months on progress; little oversight of the activities of the force would take place.[9] The Council emphasised the importance of establishing effective Iraqi police and security forces, condemned terrorist attacks in the country and expressed condolences to the families of the victims and the Iraqi people.

The final part of Resolution 1511 appealed to all countries, calling upon them to prevent the transit of terrorists or related funding to Iraq. It required further assistance to the Iraqi people in the reconstruction and development of their economy and infrastructure. Finally, the Council called for the establishment of the International Advisory and Monitoring Board, reiterating the need for the Development Fund for Iraq to be used in a transparent manner.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Security Council, acting unanimously, calls for power to be returned to Iraqi people 'as soon as practicable'". United Nations. October 16, 2003. http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2003/sc7898.doc.htm. 
  2. ^ Lowe, Vaughan; Roberts, Adam; Welsh, Jennifer (2008). The United Nations Security Council and war: the evolution of thought and practice since 1945. Oxford University Press US. p. 602. ISBN 978-0199533435. 
  3. ^ Jeffery, Simon (October 16, 2003). "Security council backs US on Iraq". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/oct/16/iraq.usa. 
  4. ^ "Security Council outlines roles in bringing peace, stability to Iraq". United Nations News Centre. October 16, 2003. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=8579&Cr=iraq&Cr1=. 
  5. ^ Arai, Yutaka (2009). The law of occupation: continuity and change of international humanitarian law, and its interaction with international human rights law. BRILL. p. 86. ISBN 978-9004162464. 
  6. ^ Wheatley, Steven (2006). "The Security Council, Democratic Legitimacy and Regime Change in Iraq". European Journal of International Law 17 (3): 531–551. doi:10.1093/ejil/chl018. 
  7. ^ McCormack, T.; McDonald, Avril (2006). Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law - 2003, Volume 6; Volume 2003. Cambridge University Press. p. 276. ISBN 978-9067042031. 
  8. ^ Vogel, Bernhard; Rudolf, Dolzer; Herdegen, Matthias (2005). After the Iraq war: the future of the UN and international law. Berghahn Books. p. 160. ISBN 978-8187358213. 
  9. ^ Hilaire, Max (2005). United Nations law and the Security Council. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 243. ISBN 978-0754644897. 

External links