UNITED NATIONS, Feb 26: Pakistan on Tuesday called for a comprehensive review of UN sanctions regime saying “there is a need on the one hand to improve the accuracy of the sanctions instrument and check sanctions evasion, and on the other to minimize their negative consequences, especially humanitarian effects.”

Addressing the United Nations Security Council on “general issues relating to sanctions,” Ambassador Munir Akram said “sanctions have also, at times, proved counterproductive; they have hardened the position of the targeted regimes and caused them to behave in ways contrary to the expectations of the international community.”

In order to undertake a review Mr Akram suggested the Council’s approval, among others, the following principles: Sanctions are a coercive measure available under Chapter-VII. They should be among the last and not among the first resort.

All other possibilities and potential available in Chapter-VI must first be exhausted.

Sanctions should be imposed only in response to violation of international law and non-compliance of United Nations Security Council obligations.

The Security Council is the only body authorized to impose collective international sanctions.

Unilateral sanctions by individual states do not enjoy the international legal status and are often counterproductive, discriminatory and destabilizing.

Sanctions resolutions should clearly indicate the goals and establish clear criteria for suspension or termination of sanctions.

There should be an independent external review, including the possibility of judicial review, of the monitoring mechanisms of sanctions regime to obtain a realistic and objective assessment based on empirical data and field studies in targeted areas.