S/PV.3163 Security Council

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council is meeting in response to the request contained in a letter dated 25 January 1993 from the Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/25156). Members of the Council have before them document S/25160, which contains tbe text of a draft resolution prepared in the course of the Council's prior consultations. Members of the Council have also received photocopies of letters dated 24 and 25 Janury 1993 from the Chargti d'affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to the United Nations and from the Permanent Representative of Croatia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council, which will be issued as documents of the Security Council under the symbols S/25154 and S/25159, respectively. I should like to draw the attention of the members of the Council to the following revision to the draft resolution, 'in its provi,sional form, contained in document S/25160. Operative paragraph 4 should read as follows: "4. Demands that all parties and others concerned'comply strictly with the cease-fire arrangements already agreed and cooperate fully and unconditionally in the implementation of the United Nations peace-keeping plan (S/23280, Annex III), including the disbanding and demobilization Of the Serb territorial defence units Or other units of similar function;". It is my understanding that the Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. Unless I hear any objection, I shall take it that that is the case. There being no objection, it is so decided. Before putting the draft resolution to the vote, I shall call on those members of the Council who wish to make statements before the voting. Mr. MERIMEE (France) (interpretation from French): This morning my Government requested that the Security Council meet immediately to consider the situation created by the attack by the Croatian Army in the region of Maslenica, at a particularly important point in the ongoing peace process in Geneva. This offensive, which has cost the lives of two French soldiers of the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) in Croatia, can only further jeaopardize the implementation of the United Nations peace plan in that region. In the circumstances, it was very important that the Security Council react today to these events, condemn these deliberate attacks against UNPROFOR and demand the cessation of military activites by the Croatian Army directed against UNPROFOR in the United Nations protected areas. My delegation particularly wanted the Council to express its solemn condolences to the families of the soldiers who have lost their lives as a result of actions while they were carrying out their tasks in km increasingly exposed environment, My Government is very pleased that the Council is demanding that the parties respect the safety of United Nations personnel and that it is inviting the Secretary-General to take all necessary steps to ensure their safety. This fundamental obligation is, unfortunately, too often disregarded by parties involved in conflicts, but it is one to which our Organization should scrupulously attend. This concern is shared by the Secretary-General, as he has made manifest in his report "An Agenda for Peace". It is no less important that the Council calls upon the parties to cooperate with UNPROFOR to resolve questions related to the implementation of the United Nations peace plan and that it calls upon them to refrain from any action or threat that might undermine current efforts for peace in Geneva, In the territory of the former Yugoslavia, the United Nations is involved in a complex, cumbersome, difficult and dangerous operation. Peace in what is historically one of the most sensitive regions in Europe is at stake. France has spared neither its resources nor its personnel, and 11 French soldiers have already died in thi service of UNPROFOR. My country will continue to do what it believes to be its duty in order tirelessly to promote, within the framework of our Organization, the chances for peace. c

I shall now put to the vote the draft resolution contained in document S/25160, as orally revised in its provisional form. A vote was taken bv show of hands. In favour: Brazil, Cape Verde, China, Djibouti, France, Hungary, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Spain, United Kingdom of Great Britatin and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Venezuela

There were 15 votes in favour, The draft resolution, as orally revised in its provisional form, has been adopted unanimously as resolution 802 (1993). I shall now call on those members of the Council who wish to make statements following the voting. Mr. VORONTSOV (Russian Federation) (interpretation from Russian): The Russian Federation is seriously concerned by the military operations of the Croatian Army in the Serbian Krajina region. This action has been taken at a moment when the possibility of settling the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina had become quite feasible. This is an extremely ill-considered step which has become yet another link in the chain of violations by Zagreb of the demands of the United Nations Security Council. The Croatian attack on the United Nations Protection Force (uNPROFOR) deserves the harshest condemnation by the Council. We also express our sympathy to the families of the French members of UNPROFOR who have been killed. For a long time now, the Croatian side has been ignoring the ban on flights over the air space of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and has been shipping arms into that Republic. Croatian units are conducting military operations against the Muslims in Bosnia. The attack now taking place by Croatian armed forces in the areas under United Nations protection is a direct challenge to the peacemaking mission of the United Nations in the former Yugoslavia. The present attempt by the Croatian leadership to resolve the problem of Krajina by military means is all the more regrettable in that the leaders of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and of Croatia were recently, to all appearances, close to achieving a mutually acceptable agreement. We are particularly disturbed by the fact that Croatia is ignoring the demands of the Security Council and the Croatian Army is continuing its offensive actions in Serb-populated areas of Croatia. Zagreb is not only refusing to restore the status quo and withdraw from the territories it has seized through invasion, but indeed is seeking to extend the area in which it is carrying out military actions. The Croatian side is engaged in armed actions in the eastern sector too, where a Russian battalion of UNPROFOR is located, and that battalion has also suffered losses. It is clear that the Croatian attack is not only in itself a gross violation of any number of Security Council resolutions, but is also endangering the Geneva negotiations for a peaceful settlement in the former Yugoslavia, which are now at an extremely crucial and sensitive stage. Having taken all these factors into account, the delegation of the Russian Federation voted for the draft resolution prepared in the Security Council. However, it is perfectly obvious that, in the event that the Croatian side does not meet the demands in this and other relevant resolutions of the Security Council, sanctions will have to be imposed on Croatia to the same extent as those imposed on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The Security Council must do its utmost to avert a new and exceedingly dangerous spiral of escalation in the conflict in the .former Yugoslavia.

The Security Council has thus,concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council will remain seized of the matter. The meetina rose at 7.50 n.m.