Panel of Experts on DPRK Non-proliferation - S/RES/1985 (2011)

S/RES/1985 is one of document that extends the mandate of a bureaucracy inside the United Nations, while providing very little changes or guidance for the related organs. In this case, it deals with the Panel of Experts that addresses questions of nuclear non-proliferation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, even though these wordings are largely absent from the whole document. The documents is written in vague terms, mainly constructing their points from references to previous resolution instead of enunciating the mandate.



Preamble

The resolution recalls some the previous Security Council resolutions, including S/RES/1718 (2006) and S/RES/1874 (2009) that receive a closer look afterwards in the document, and two presidential statements. It recalls the mandate established under S/RES/1874 (2009) as the basis for action and point to the interim report by the Panel of Experts as well as its final report. They still recall the methodological standards for the reports of sanctions that in enshrined in the report of a working group.

It also notes the importance of independents assessments in accordance with the Panel of Experts’ mandate. There is a determination that the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery continue to be a threat to international peace and security. The resolution gets its legal basis from the Article 41 of Chapter VII, which relates to forceful instruments that do not necessarily utilize force.

Operative Clauses

They have decided to extend the mandate of the Panel of Experts created under S/RES/1874 (2009) until June 12th, 2012, while asking for a midterm report no later than November 12th, 2011 to be provide to the Sanctions Committee and to the Security Council by December 12th, 2011. There is also a final report that is due thirty days before the final mandate date. There is also a request that a planned program of work has to be provided to the Sanctions Committee no later than thirty days after the appointment of the Panel and asks the Committee to be engaged in the discussions related to the program.The resolution also calls for constants updates on the program of work and that all States and other interested parties to cooperate fully with the Sanctions Committee from S/RES/1718 (2006). It finally decided to remain seized of the matter.