S/PV.3568 Security Council

I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, in which they request 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 those representatives 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 Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Members of the Council have before them document S/1995/707, which contains the text of a letter dated 17 August 1995 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council. I should like to draw the attention of the members of the Council to document S/1995/710, which contains the text of a letter dated 18 August 1995 from the Chargé d’affaires ad interim of the Permanent Mission of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council. Following consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: “The Council reaffirms in this regard that the RRF is an integral part of UNPF/UNPROFOR and that its deployment is crucial for the strengthening of UNPROFOR’s capacity to carry out its mandate in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It shares the Secretary-General’s view that the existing status of forces agreements constitute an appropriate and sufficient basis for the presence of UNPF/UNPROFOR, including the RRF. “The Security Council is deeply concerned at the implications of the continued impediments to the functioning of the RRF for the effectiveness of the United Nations mission in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It calls upon the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina immediately to remove all impediments and to give clear undertakings concerning the freedom of movement and provision of facilities for the RRF, in order that it may perform its tasks without further delay. It further calls upon them to resolve forthwith within the framework of the existing SOFAs any outstanding difficulties with the relevant United Nations authorities. “The Security Council supports fully the efforts of the Secretary-General in this matter and will return to this question in the light of a further report which the Security Council requests the Secretary-General to submit no later than 24 August 1995.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/1995/40. 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.