S/PV.3615 Security Council

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. Members of the Council have before them the report on the situation of human rights in Croatia pursuant to Security Council resolution 1019 (1995), document S/1995/1051. “The Security Council takes note of the report of the Secretary-General (S/1995/1051) of 21 December 1995, which it has just received. “The Security Council, as a matter of urgency, expresses its grave concern that, according to information in that report, the Government of the Republic of Croatia has ignored the call of the Council in the statement of its President of 3 October 1995 (S/PRST/1995/49) that it lift any time-limits placed on the return of refugees to reclaim their property. The requirement that owners must reclaim their property by 27 December 1995 constitutes a virtually insurmountable obstacle for most Serb refugees. “The Security Council strongly demands that the Government of the Republic of Croatia lift immediately any time-limits placed on the return of refugees to reclaim their property. “The Council shall continue its consideration of the report of the Secretary-General.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/1995/63. 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.