NEW YORK –

The Security Council today reaffirmed the importance of the use of preventive diplomacy and early warning mechanisms to assist in the peaceful settlement of disputes, and acknowledged the role of the United Nations regional office in assisting countries in Central Asia to respond to threats and challenges.

The UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) was established in 2007 in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan. It assists and supports the Governments of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in finding solutions for emerging problems and eliminating potential threats.

"The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their support for the efforts of UNRCCA to facilitate dialogue among the Governments of the Central Asian States on regional issues of common concern," Ambassador Rosemary A. DiCarlo of the United States, which holds the Council's rotating presidency for July, said in a statement read out to the press.

The statement followed a closed-door briefing by the Secretary-General's Special Representative and head of UNRCCA, Miroslav Jenča, on the work of the Centre over the past six months.

"The members of the Security Council reaffirmed the importance of the use of preventive diplomacy and early warning mechanisms by the United Nations to assist in the peaceful settlement of disputes and in this context acknowledged the role of UNRCCA in assisting Central Asian countries, in accordance with its mandate and through regional cooperation, to respond to domestic and trans-national threats to peace and in supporting the sustainable development of the region," the statement said.

Council members also stressed the need for further cooperation and coordination between the Central Asian States, UNRCCA, and regional organizations to strengthen the region's capacity to overcome challenges to peace, stability and sustainable development in Central Asia through the mechanisms of preventive diplomacy and dialogue.

In this regard, they welcomed initiatives by UNRCCA to assist the countries in finding a comprehensive solution to the management of trans-boundary water resources, and took note of ongoing discussions, facilitated by the Centre, on a regional legal framework for this purpose.

UNRCCA's efforts to support cooperation among the Central Asian States in the area of counter-terrorism and in combating drug trafficking were also recognized.