UNSC Condemns Direct Or Indirect Trade Of Oil From Syria And Iraq

The Security Council Monday (28 July) strongly condemned any "direct or indirect trade of oil from Syria and Iraq involving terrorist groups."

In a presidential statement read by Rwandan Ambassador Eugène-Richard Gasana, the Council stressed "the obligation of the Member States to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorist acts" and expressed "grave concern over the reports of the access to and seizure of oilfields and pipelines in Syria and Iraq" by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant and Jabhat A1-Nusra, which are listed as terrorist groups by the Council.

Gasana said that "any oilfields and related infrastructure controlled by terrorist organizations could generate material income for terrorists, which would support their recruitment efforts, including of foreign terrorist fighters, and strengthen their operational capability to organize and carry out terrorist attacks."

The statement reminded Member States that sales of oil from Syria or Iraq by terrorist groups violate UN sanctions imposed through resolutions 1267 (1999), 1373 (2001), 1989 (2011), 2129 (2013), 2133 (2014), and 2161 (2104).

The group Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant has recently seized territory in eastern Syria and western Iraq.

SHOTLIST:
28 JULY 2014, NEW YORK CITY

Exterior UN building
Security Council
Delegates
Security Council

SOUNDBITE (English) Eugène-Richard Gasana, Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations:
"The Security Council reaffirms its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Syria and Iraq, and in this regard, strongly condemns any engagement in direct or indirect trade of oil from Syria and Iraq involving terrorist groups."

SOUNDBITE (English) Eugène-Richard Gasana, Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations:
"Stresses the obligation of the Member States to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorist acts, and expresses grave concern over the reports of the access to and seizure of oilfields and pipelines in Syria and Iraq by terrorist groups listed by the Security Council 1267/1989 Committee, namely Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant and Jabhat A1-Nusra."

SOUNDBITE (English) Eugène-Richard Gasana, Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations:
"The Security Council notes with concern that any oilfields and related infrastructure controlled by terrorist organizations could generate material income for terrorists, which would support their recruitment efforts, including of foreign terrorist fighters, and strengthen their operational capability to organize and carry out terrorist attacks."

DURATION: 01:53