Circulars : 1999

UN Security Council Resolution 1171 (1998) regarding Sierra Leone / New Revised UN Sanctions.

Circular No 3/99
TEN 1/5
TEN 40/22

5 January 1999

To all Owners, Managers and Representatives of Ships under the Cyprus flag

 

  1. I refer to the above subject and further to my circulars No 23/97 dated 28.11.97, No 3/98 dated 29.01.98 and 11/98 dated 12.06.98, I wish to draw your attention to the fact that the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Cyprus decided on 07.08.1998 to implement the new UN Security Council Resolution 1171 (1998) regarding Sierra Leone, which amends the previous resolutions 1132(1997) and 1156(1998).
  2. The relevant paragraphs in Resolution 1171(1998) with regard to Merchant Shipping are the following: QUOTE

    3. "….. The Security Council ……

    Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

    1. Decides to terminate the remaining prohibitions imposed by paragraphs 5 and 6 of resolution 1132 (1997);

    2. Further decides, with a view to prohibiting the sale and supply of arms and related materiel to non-governmental forces in Sierra Leone, that all States shall prevent the sale or supply, by their nationals or from their territories, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, of arms and related materiel of all types, including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment and spare parts for the aforementioned, to Sierra Leone other than to the Government of Sierra Leone through named points of entry on a list to be supplied by that Government to the Secretary-General, who shall promptly notify all Member States of the United Nations of the list;

    3. Decides also that the restrictions referred to in paragraph 2 above shall not apply to the sale or supply or arms and related materiel for the sole use in Sierra Leone of the Military Observer Group of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOMOG) or the United Nations;

    4. Further decides that States shall notify all exports from their territories of arms or related materiel to Sierra Leone to the Committee established by resolution 1132 (1997), that the Government of Sierra Leone shall mark, register and notify to the Committee all imports made by it of arms and related materiel, and that the Committee shall report regularly to the Council on notifications so received;

    6. Decides that the Committee established by resolution 1132 (1997) shall continue to undertake the tasks referred to in paragraph 10(a), (b), (c), (d), (f) and (h) of that resolution in relation to paragraphs 2 and 5 above; " UNQUOTE

  3. Furthermore it should be recalled that some of the provisions of Resolution 1132(1997) still remain in force:

    4. Paragraph 10 of Resolution 1132(1997) provides for the establishment of an Ad hoc Sanctions Committee consisting of all the members of the Security Council in order to monitor the implementation of the relevant economic sanctions against Sierra Leone. As pointed-out by paragraph 8 of Resolution 1132(1997) the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is authorized to act on behalf of the UN to ensure strict implementation of the resolution, including where necessary and in conformity with applicable international standards, by halting inward maritime shipping in order to inspect and verify their cargoes and destinations.

  4. Consequently my three previous circulars No. 23/97, No 3/98 and 11/98 are hereby repealed, and replaced by the present Circular.

 

The Owners and Managers of ships under the Cyprus flag are advised to strictly abide by the above Resolution.

 

Serghios S. Serghiou
Director
Department of Merchant Shipping

 

CC: - Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications and Works