Statement / by the President of the Security Council

Statement [made on behalf of the Security Council, at the 5201st meeting, 15 June 2005, in connection with the Council's consideration of the item entitled "The situation in Papua New Guinea"]

Welcomes the 1st General Elections for the President and Members of the House of Representatives of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville held from 20 May through 9 June 2005, and considers that they were competently and transparently conducted, as noted by the International Observer Team; urges those who did not participate in the electoral process to respect the outcome of the elections and support without delay the Autonomous Bougainville Government in its peacebuilding efforts; pays tribute to the efforts of the Government of Papua New Guinea and the Bougainville leaders for fully implementing the Bougainville Peace Agreement; notes with satisfaction that the performance of the UN Observer Mission in Bougainville (UNOMB), as well as that of its preceding UN Political Office in Bougainville (UNPOB), manifested that a small UN special political mission with a clearly defined mandate can make a critical contribution to a regional conflict resolution effort in an efficient and effective manner.

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