S/PV.3529 Security Council

As this is the first meeting of the Security Council for the month of May, I should like to take this opportunity to pay tribute on behalf of the Council to His Excellency Mr. Karel Kovanda, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the United Nations, for his service as President of the Security Council for the month of April 1995. I am sure that I speak for all members of the Security Council in expressing deep appreciation to Ambassador Kovanda for the great diplomatic skill and unfailing courtesy with which he conducted the Council’s business last month. Adoption of the agenda

I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from the representative of Croatia, 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.

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. Following consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: “The Security Council is deeply concerned by the resumption of hostilities in the Republic of Croatia over the last few days. “The Security Council also demands that the parties respect the economic agreement signed between them on 2 December 1994 and, in particular, take all necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of the Zagreb-Belgrade Highway and its immediate environs. “The Security Council urges the parties to cease hostilities and comply with the existing cease- fire agreement. “The Security Council calls upon the parties to fully respect the safety and freedom of movement of all United Nations and European Community Monitoring Mission personnel in the area concerned, in the area known as Sector South and elsewhere, and therefore to remove all restrictions placed on United Nations personnel. “The Security Council urges the parties, in order to achieve these objectives, to accept without delay the proposals put to them by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General. “The Security Council expresses its full support to the Secretary-General and his Special Representative in their efforts. The Council further requests the Secretary-General to keep it informed of developments on the ground as well as in the ongoing talks.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/1995/23. 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.