S/PV.3194 Security Council

I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from'the representative of Azerbaijan in which he requests to be invited to participate in the discussion of the item on the Council's agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite that representative to participate in the discussion without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, There being no objection, it is so decided. At the invitation of the President, Mr. Hassanov (Azerbaijan) took a place at the Council table.

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Members of the Council have before them the following documents: S/25488, S/25491, S/25509, S/25525, S/25526 and S/25527, letters dated 29, 30 and 31 March and 2 and 5 April, respectively, from the Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council; S/25508, letter dated 31 March 1993 from the Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General: S/25510, letter dated 1 April 1993 from the Permanent Representative of Armenia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council; S/25524, letter dated 3 April 1993 from the Permanent Representative of Turkey to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council; and S/25528, identical letters dated 5 April 1993 from the Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the United Nations addressed, respectively, to the Secretary-General and to the President of the Security Council. I should like to draw the attention of the members of the Council to the following other documents: S/25403, letter dated 29 March 1993 from the Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council; and S/25499, letter dated 31 March 1993 from the Permanent Representatives of France and the Russian Federation to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General. Following consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorised to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: "The Secuxity Council expresses its serious concern at the deterioration of relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan and at the escalation of hostile acts in the Nagorny-Rarabakh conflict, especially the invasion of the Kelbadjar district of the Republic of Azerbaijan by local Armenian forces. The Council demands the immediate cessation of all such hostilities, which endanger peace and security in the region, and the withdrawal of these forces. "In this context the Security Council, reaffirming the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all States of the region and the inviolability of their borders, expresses its support for the CSCE peace process. It expresses the hope that the recent preliminary agreement reached by the Minsk Group will be expeditiously followed by agreements on a cease-fire, a timetable for the deployment of the monitors, a draft political declaration and the convening, as soon as possible, of the Minsk conference. "The Security Council urges the parties involved to take all necessary Steps to advance the CSCE peace process and refrain from any action that will obstruct a peaceful solution to the problem. "The Council also calls for unimpeded access to international humanitarian relief efforts in the region, and in particular in all areas affected by the conflict, in order to alleviate the suffering of the civilian population. "The Security Council requests the Secretary-General, in consultation with the CSCE, to ascertain facts, as appropriate, and to submit urgently a report to the Council containing an assessment of tba situation on the ground. "The Council will remain seized of the matter.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/25539. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on the agenda. The Security Council will remain seized of the matter. The meetina rose at 7.50 P.m.