UNITED NATIONS, July 14 -- The Security Council held an in-person meeting on Tuesday at UN Headquarters in New York, the first of its kind since mid-March when COVID-19 forced the council to convene virtually.
"In light of recent developments regarding the containment of COVID-19 in New York, the UN Security Council together has decided to begin a gradual and phased shift toward in-person meetings here at the UN Headquarters, of course, while ensuring all health precautions," Christoph Heusgen, the German UN ambassador, told reporters before he presided over the Security Council meeting.
The meeting was held in the Economic and Social Council Chamber instead of the Security Council Chamber, where the council usually meets.
The change of venue is obviously out of the need for social distancing. The Security Council Chamber, with a horseshoe-shaped table in the center, is less desirable for such a purpose.
Participants of Tuesday's meeting were seated sparsely in a large circle in the Economic and Social Council Chamber, with many of them wearing face masks, live video feed shows. Briefers who are currently not in New York delivered their statements via video teleconference.
Reporters were denied physical access to the Economic and Social Council Chamber. The restriction was "to minimize risk," said the UN Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit on Monday night.
Tuesday's meeting agenda was a heavy one. The council first adopted its annual report to the UN General Assembly before the adoption of two resolutions: one on the UN Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement, the other on youth and peace and security. The council then heard a briefing on the peace process in Colombia.
Heusgen, whose country holds the Security Council presidency for the month of July, said his delegation intends to have a few more in-person meetings before the end of July.
Heusgen said Tuesday's in-person meeting was the result of a unanimous decision of the 15 members of the Security Council.
He said he would discuss with other council members after Tuesday's meeting to see whether further in-person meetings would be arranged.
Germany's position is that Security Council meetings should go gradually in this direction, he said. "We were pushing, as the presidency, for this. We have everybody on board. And now I want to see how colleagues react. We haven't made any concrete plans. But to give you a German response: yes, we would like to have a few more meetings before the end of our presidency here at the UN Headquarters."
Heusgen said virtual meetings cannot replace in-person diplomacy. But he added that the safety of everyone involved is a priority. "We will continue to be very careful," he said.
The Security Council began to convene via video teleconference in mid-March after restrictive measures were implemented at UN Headquarters in New York in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The last in-person meeting of the Security Council was held on March 12. After that it had to shift to interim procedures for the conduct of its business, including how meetings are convened and how resolutions are adopted. No interpretation between languages was made available in the meetings via video teleconference.
In Tuesday's in-person meeting, several representatives were pleasantly surprised by the fact that they could speak their mother tongue in interventions.
2017届高考英语一轮复习北师大版写作专题讲座课件:第二讲 简单句的转换与训练
2017届新课标高考一轮复习英语人教版 浙江专版课件:part1 选修7 unit2
2017届高考英语一轮复习北师大版写作专题讲座课件:第六讲 状语从句的写作与训练
2017届新课标高考一轮复习英语人教版 浙江专版课件:part2 第6讲 动词时态与语态(2)
2017届新课标高考一轮复习英语人教版 浙江专版课件:part1 选修7 unit4
2017届高考英语一轮复习北师大版课件:必修二 Unit4《Cyberspace》
2017届新课标高考一轮复习英语人教版 浙江专版课件:part1 选修8 unit3
2017届高三英语人教版一轮课件(广东专版)选修9 Unit 1《Breaking records》
江苏省无锡新领航教育咨询有限公司高中英语《It作形式主语》练习
2017届新课标高考一轮复习英语人教版 浙江专版课件:part1 选修6 unit3
《生活大爆炸》有望再续两季 主演每集片酬高达百万美元
2017届新课标高考一轮复习英语人教版 浙江专版课件:part1 必修5 unit5(2)
国内英语资讯:Chinese vice premier stresses agricultural supply-side reform
江苏省无锡新领航教育咨询有限公司高中英语语法专题(3)语态
科学家在澳洲海岸附近发现世界第八大洲
江苏省无锡新领航教育咨询有限公司高中英语《主语从句》练习
江苏省无锡新领航教育咨询有限公司高中英语《宾语从句》练习
江苏省无锡新领航教育咨询有限公司高考英语专题复习:数词与主谓一致
2017届新课标高考一轮复习英语人教版 浙江专版课件:part1 选修7 unit3
2017届高考英语一轮复习北师大版写作专题讲座课件:第二十讲 开放性作文
2017届新课标高考一轮复习英语人教版 浙江专版课件:part2 第3讲 代词和it的用法
费德勒2017年澳网公开赛夺冠致辞
2017届新课标高考一轮复习英语人教版 浙江专版课件:part1 选修6 unit2
2017届新课标高考一轮复习英语人教版 浙江专版课件:part1 必修5 unit5(1)
2017届新课标高考一轮复习英语人教版 浙江专版课件:part1 必修5 unit3(2)
2017届高考英语一轮复习北师大版课件:必修二 Unit6《Design》
江苏省无锡新领航教育咨询有限公司高中英语《It作形式宾语》练习
2017届新课标高考一轮复习英语人教版 浙江专版课件:part1 选修8 unit2
2017届新课标高考一轮复习英语人教版 浙江专版课件:part1 选修7 unit5
国内英语资讯: Environment minister urges crack-down on high-emission vehicles
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |