S/PV.3585 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. 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 welcomes the 5 October agreement by the Bosnian parties to a cease-fire, including by terminating all hostile military activities throughout the territory of the Republic of Bosnia “The Security Council also welcomes the decision of the Governments of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) to attend proximity peace talks by the end of this month, to be followed by a peace conference. It reiterates that there can be no military solution to the conflict in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and strongly urges the parties to negotiate in good faith on the basis of the Geneva Declarations of Principles of 8 September 1995 (S/1995/780, annex II), and the Further Agreed Principles of 26 September 1995. “The Security Council also welcomes the 3 October agreement by the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the local Croatian Serb authorities in eastern Slavonia to Guiding Basic Principles For Negotiations. It strongly urges both parties to negotiate in good faith towards a peaceful final settlement to the conflict consistent with the Council’s resolutions.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/1995/50. 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.