S/PV.3261 Security Council

It is with great sadness that we have learned of the passing of His Majesty King Baudouin I, King of the Belgians. I should like, on behalf of the Council, to extend to the Government and the people of Belgium and to the bereaved royal family deep condolences on the untimely passing of His Majesty King Baudouin I. I invite members to stand and observe a minute of silence. The members of the Council observed a minute of silence. STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

Because of the urgency of the matter for which this meeting of the Security Council has been called, and in view of the lateness of the hour, I wouls ask members to dispense with the customary formalities and to move directly to the business at hand, ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA The agenda was adopted. THE SITUATION IN GEORGIA LETTER DATED 4 AUGUST 1993 FROM THE SECRETARY~GENERAL ADDRESSED TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL (S/26254)

I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from the representative of Georgia, 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. Chkheidze (Georgia) took a place at the Council table.

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Members of the Council have before them the letter dated 4 August 1993 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council, document §/26254. Members of the Council alse have before them document $/26258, which contains the text of a draft resolution prepared in the course of the Council's prior consultations. I should like to draw attention to the following technical changes to be made to the draft resolution contained in document $/26258, in its provisional form. In the second line of the first preambular paragraph the word "military" should be inserted before "observers". The first part of the third line of operative paragraph 1 of the draft resolution should read as follows: “advance team of up to 10 United Nations military observers". (The President) I should like to draw the attention of members of the Council to document $/26222, which contains the text of a letter dated 2 August 1993 from the Permanent Representative of Georgia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council. The nature of the situation in Georgia and the actions required by the United Nations as a result of the signing of the cease-fire agreement require an urgent response from the Council. We are authorizing the dispatch of a very small group of military observers whose presence is needed now, when failure to take action today would unduly delay the mission. Moreover, the Secretary~General will very soon be submitting to the Council his detailed proposals and recommendations on fully deploying a military observer mission to Georgia. Therefore, as an exceptional matter, I have asked the members of the Council to act on this draft resolution without the usual notice and discussion. I am deeply grateful for their cooperation in this unusual situation. 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 now put to the vote the draft resolution contained in document $/26258 as orally revised, in its provisional form. 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 has been adopted unanimously as resolution 854 (1993). The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The meeting rose at 6 p.m.