S/PV.4088 Security Council

Before we begin, I would like to welcome the people in the gallery and say that before we turn to the main issue of the morning, which is an extremely important discussion of refugees, we have one other formal order of business: the adoption of a formal United Nations Security Council resolution. I shall turn to that first. Adoption of the agenda

I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of Croatia, Germany and Italy, 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. At the invitation of the President, Mr. Šimonovic´ (Croatia) took a seat at the Council table; Mr. Kastrup (Germany) and Mr. Vento (Italy) took the seats reserved for them at the side of the Council Chamber.

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 of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka, document S/1999/1302. I should also like to draw the attention of the members of the Council to the following documents: S/2000/8, letter dated 10 January 2000 from Croatia addressed to the President of the Security Council; and S/1999/1278, letter dated 24 December 1999 from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia addressed to the Secretary-General. It is my understanding that the Security Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution (S/2000/10) before it. If I hear no objection, I shall put the draft resolution to the vote now.

There were 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 1285 (2000). The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. For those in the gallery, we have just been discussing the extension of the United Nations force in Prevlaka peninsula in Croatia, on the edge of where Croatia, Yugoslavia, Albania and Bosnia all meet, a very sensitive area. This resolution will ensure the continuation of stability in that area. So, what you have just seen is important for preserving peace.