To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the UK priorities and objectives are for its presidency of the United Nations Security Council. (132709)

The principal priorities for the UK Presidency of the Security Council during April are:

to hold a thematic debate in the Security Council on Energy, Security and Climate to raise international consciousness of the implications of climate change for international security. I chaired the debate on 17 April and an unprecedented number of states took part;

to achieve agreement on increasing the pressure on Sudan to accept a UN/African Union hybrid force in Darfur. I chaired an informal Security Council discussion on Sudan on 16 April; and

for the Security Council to consider positively Mr. Ahtisaari’s proposals for Kosovo. A sustainable settlement for Kosovo is urgent.

My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Kim Howells, will chair a UN Security Council debate on the Middle East today.