S/PV.3237 Security Council

The members of the Security Council have received the sad news of the premature passing of Ambassador Hamadi Khouini, Permanent Representative of Tunisia to the United Nations. On behalf of the members of the Council, I wish to express our condolences to the Government and people of Tunisia and to the bereaved family. We all felt great respect for him, and we shall miss him very much. I now invite the members of the Council to stand and observe a minute of silence. The members of the Council observed a minute of silence. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA The agenda was adopted. THE SITUATION IN CAMBODIA REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL ON THE CONDUCT AND RESULTS OF THE ELECTIONS IN CAMBODIA (8/25913)

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on the agenda. The Security Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Members of the Council have before them the report of the Secretary-General on the conduct and results of the elections in Cambodia, document §/25913. {The President) Members of the Council also have before them document S/25931, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by China, France, Japan, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America. I should like to draw the attention of members of the Council to the following revisions to the draft resolution in document $/25931, its provisional form. In paragraph 4, after “of the Cambodia Conflict" insert “contained in the Paris Agreements". In paragraph 7 delete "future" in the second line before "role". I should like to draw the attention of the members of the Council to . document S/25940, which contains the text of a letter dated 11 June 1993 from the Permanent Representative of Denmark to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General. (The President) It is my understanding that the Security Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution (S/25931) before it, as revised in its provisional form. If I hear no objection, I shall now put the draft resolution to the vote. There being no objection, it is so decided. A vote was taken by show of hands. In favour: Brazil, Cape Verde, China, Djibouti, France, Hungary, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Spain, United Kingdom of Great Britain 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 840 (1993). I shall now call on those members of the Council who wish to make statements following the voting. Mr. MERIMEE (France) (interpretation from French): My Government followed with deep satisfaction the electoral process in Cambodia and took note of its results. In voting in favour of this resolution, my delegation intended to emphasize that it fully subscribes to the statement of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General that the elections held in that country were free and fair. We should like once again to pay tribute to the entire United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) team for the way in which it carried out its mission in particularly difficult and dangerous conditions. For the people of Cambodia, who demonstratec unambiguously their desire for peace and democracy, it is the dawn of a new era. We urge them not to let (Mr. Mérimée, France) this opportunity pass, an opportunity for which other peoples of the world might today envy them. This means, first and foremost, respecting the results of the elections, certified as free and fair by the United Nations, as the Cambodian parties have pledged to do when they signed the Paris Agreements. We hope that they will be guided by their patriotism, reason, restraint and sense of public interest by not calling into question, through violence, the results of the democratic process, and by taking care not to jeopardize the unity of the country, which is also written into the Paris Agreements. The time has come to work together under the unanimously recognized authority of His Royal Highness Prince Morodom Sihanouk, in a true spirit of national reconciliation, to put in place definitive institutional structures and rebuild the country. It is in this spirit that we find especially positive the decision of the Constituent Assembly during its inaugural meeting to recognize fully His Royal Highness Prince Norodom Sihanouk as Head of State. The last stage of the peace pracess now remains to be carried out, with the leading role of the United Nations. In particular, there needs to be a coalition plan - to be implemented under the authority of Prince Sihanouk, who has just been unanimously granted full powers by the Assembly ~ making it possible to expedite matters currently pending while the Constituent Assembly drafts the constitution. Mr. MARUYAMA (Japan): The United Nations having certified that the election in Cambodia was free and fair, the Security Council has now, with its unanimous adoption of resolution 840 (1993), endorsed the results of that election. The Cambodian peace process has thus entered the next and most important stage: drawing up a constitution and establishing a new Government. (Mr. Maruyama, Japan) Japan believes that the realization of peace and democracy in Cambodia - a goal that has been long awaited by the Cambodian people - can be achieved only if all parties fully respect the results of the election and, demonstrating the political will to achieve national reconciliation, cooperate in all good faith with efforts towards that end. In this connection, Japan stresses the importance of the leadership role of His Royal Highness Prince Norodom Sihanouk and supports his efforts to create the stable political environment necessary for the smooth implementation of the peace process. In addition, my delegation wishes to state once again that ali parties and persons concerned in Cambodia must strive to ensure the safety of the personnel of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia. The international community remains actively committed to supporting efforts by the Cambodian people themselves for the restoration of peace and the reconstruction of their country. My delegation calls upon all Cambodians to seize firmly this epochal opportunity and join forces to achieve a united, democratic Cambodia on the basis of the results of the election. Mr. ERDOS (Hungary) (interpretation from French): The Security Council's adoption of reso!.ution 840 (1993) is an important and welcome step in the contemporary history of Cambodia. After so many efforts, to the great satisfaction of the internitional community, elections for a Constituent Assembly were held in that country. Resolution 840 (1993) endorses the . results of those elections. which have been certified as free and fair. With their massive participation in that popular referendum, the Khmer people demonstrated, spectacularl and convincingly, that it both wanted and knew how to take advantage of the opportunity offered it. In our complicated world, where the international community has met with other than success, this (Mr. Erdés, Hungary) impressive result, obtained by the United Nations in Cambodia thanks to the perseverant and responsible activities of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia and the Special Representative of the Secretary-Generai, will not go unnoticed. A new chapter is thus opening up before the Khmer people. Both its elected representatives and the future leadership of the country will go a long way towards turning this opportunity into reality: building and consolidating a unified, sovereign and democratic country. Any solution that departs from the principles and timetables set in the Paris Agreements and any activities aimed at hindering Cambodia's democratic development would run counter to the vital interests of that country and its people. To realize the possibilities inherent in this crucial transition period, the Cambodian leaders will have to demonstrate their political maturity, transcend their divisions and promote national reconciliation. We are confident - and our most recent information gives positive indications to this effect - that the Khmers, under the authority of Prince Sihanouk, will be up to the very special tasks that await them in their country, devastated by cruel wars. Furthermore, through this resolution, the Security Council declares its availability to the Khmer people in its efforts to achieve stability and reconstruction. In closing this long and difficult chapter of the Cambodian conflict, the international community must do everything possible to facilitate Cambodia‘s renewal. Mr. VORGNTSOV (Russian Federation) (interpretation from Russian): The delegation of the Russian Federation received with great satisfaction the Secretary-General's report on the results of the elections in Cambodia and confirmation of the fact that they were generally free and fair. The Russian side fully respects the Cambodian people’s free expression of self—determination and recognizes its results. We should like to pay due tribute to the Secretary-General, his Special Representative Mr. Akashi, and to the personnel of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC), which contributed its utmost towards bringing about this exceptional expression of self-determination by the Cambodian people. Russia attaches great importance to this historic event in the life of Cambodian society, which lays a democratic foundation for its future development. We see it as an important factor for peace and stability not only in Cambodia but in South-East Asia as a whole. In this exceptionally delicate period of transition towards the establishment of a new power structure in Cambodia, it is essential for all sides fully to live up to their obligations and to respect the results of the elections. In this regard we note the principal role of the efforts of His Royal Highness Prince Norodom Sihanouk in bringing about national reconciliation. We would like to express our hope that, given the willingness of the Cambodian people to show restraint and engage in dialogue, those efforts will lead to the formation of a representative coalition Government. There are today in Cambodia the necessary concrete preconditions for achieving the main goal of the Paris process: the restoration of peace on the basis of national reconciliation and the formation of a new Cambodia - a sovereign, independent, neutral and territorially integral State that respects human rights and maintains good-neighbourly relations with all countries of (Mr, Vorontsov, Russian Federation) the world. We believe that the international community's efforts will have the utmost effect in the realization of this objective and in the successful completion of the United Nations operation in Cambodia. We believe that the resolution just adopted by the Security Council will demonstrate the international community's support for the peace process and provide an impetus to the Khmer sides to reach mutual agreements and national reconciliation. Mr. CHEN Jian (China) (interpretation from Chinese): The Chinese delegation is pleased that the resolution on the question of Cambodia, of which the Chinese delegation was honoured to be a sponsor, was adopted. Under the auspices of the United Nations and through the concerted efforts of the Cambodian people, the elections in Cambodia have, on the whole, come to a conclusion. The Secretary-General's Special Representative Mr. Akashi has, on behalf of the Secretary-General, made a statement on the results of the elections. We urge the various Cambodian parties fully to respect the results of those elections, The Chinese delegation is of the view that the Cambodian question should be resolved by the Cambodian people themselves. Only under the leadership of Prince Sihanouk and through the concerted efforts of all the Cambodian parties, and only when genuine national reconciliation is achieved, will it be possible for Cambodia finaily to embark on the road of building an independent, unified and neutral new State. We hope that all the Cambodian parties will set store by the national interests and establish, through consultation, a new Government that can reflect the spirit of national reconciliation so as to facilitate the realization of the aforementioned (Mr. Chen Jian, China) objectives. We also hope that the international community will fully respect the choice made by the Cambodian people of its own free will. The Chinese delegation attaches importance to the significant role played by Prince Sihanouk in the Cambodian peace process and appreciates his recommendations aimed at achieving peace and avoiding bloodshed in the current circumstances. We support his active efforts to achieve peace and national reconciliation in Cambodia. We hope that Prince Sihanouk will continue to make his contribution by promoting the peaceful consultations among the parties concerned in Cambodia to overcome the difficulties and maintain peace and stability after the general elections. Mr. WALKER (United States of America): In adopting this resolution, the Security Council has affirmed the judgement of the Secretary-General and his Special Representative that the elections in Cambodia were free and fair. This was also the judgement of over 1,600 international election monitors as well as numerous independent election observers. In fact no one, apart from some members of one Cambodian party which was disappointed with the results, has challenged this judgement. These elections represent a remarkable demonstration of the Cambodian people's desire for peace and democracy, despite threats, violence and intimidation. The Cambodian people clearly showed that it would not be deterred by violence and intimidation, whether committed by the State of Cambodia or by the Khmer Rouge. All the major Cambodian parties, except the Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP), have officially accepted the election results. We understand that many of the CPP candidates elected to the Constituent Assembly are now participating in the work of the Assembly. However, we urge that party to (Mr. Walker, United States) join the other Cambodian parties, the Security Council and the entire international community in officially accepting the will of the Cambodian people and respecting the results of the elections. After so many years of war and suffering, the Cambodian people has voted decisively for peace. We fully support the work of the Constituent Assembly in drafting a constitution and forming a new Government for Cambodia. It is incumbent upon all the parties to strive for national reconciliation so that peace can indeed be achieved. In this regard, we welcome the decision of the Constituent Assembly to recognize the unique role His Royal Highness Prince Sihanouk has played as President of the Supreme National Council by voting that he be the Head of State of Cambodia. We are confident that Prince Sihanouk will promote peace and reconciliation for all of Cambodia. Sir David HANNAY (United Kingdom): My Government congratulates both the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) and the Cambodian people on the successful holding of the election for the Constituent Assembly. We welcome in particular the fact that the Secretary-General has now certified that it was free and fair, and the resolution we have just adopted endorses that. The high turn-out in the election was a clear indication that the people of Cambodia wish to be masters of their future and to be so through democratic process. The results of the election must be respected by all parties. As the Secretary-General has made clear in his report, complaints about the conduct of the election have not been substantiated. The international community must make clear the consequences to any party of its refusal to accept the results. It is essential for the future of Cambodia that all concerned now put aside their differences and work together. (Sir David Hannay, United Kingdom) We also welcome the agreement reached on 10 June between the leaders of the armed forces of three of the parties to work to set up a single army responsible to the new Government of Cambodia which will emerge from the Constituent Assembly. We welcome the fact, too, that the Constituent Assembly itself met for the first time this morning. It is important that it now set about its task of drafting a new constitution in line with annex 5 of the Paris Agreements. The sooner this is done, the sooner a new Government will take office in Phnom Penh and Cambodians will assume full and direct responsibility for the future of their country. UNTAC, in the few remaining months of its mandate, needs to keep wp its effort to ensure that a comprehensive political settlement is implemented and thereby to help the Cambodians secure for themselves a peaceful and stable future. It is important to remember that the T in UNTAC stands for "Transitional"; that its mandate comes to an end in late August; and that, as the Secretary-General has said in his reports and as this Council said in its resolution 810 (1993), the Cambodians themselves bear primary responsibility for the implementation of the Paris Agreements and for the future stability and well-being of their country. So we must begin now to prepare for that future and to look beyond the completion of the UNTAC mandate in less than three months' time. The United Nations and its agencies will neei to provide help for Cambodia thereafter, as this resolution makes clear, but UNTAC itself must leave Cambodia at the end of the transition to a new Government and it must then be for the Cambodians themselves to assume responsibility for building their future.

There are no further speakers on my list. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The meeting rose at 4.30 p.m.