U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON EXTENSION OF UNTAES MAN DATE

DATE WASHINGTON, 14 July (Hina) - The U.N. Security Council on Monday adopted a resolution on the extension of the mandate of the U.N. mission in Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES) until 15 January, 1998. The Council also supported a proposal to restructure the UNTAES mission. The following are excerpts from the resolution: "Welcoming the report of the Secretary-General of 23 June 1997 (S/1997/487), and noting in particular his recommendations for the continued presence of UNTAES after 15 July 1997 with an appropriate restructuring of the mission, Recalling that the Basic Agreement provides that the transitional period of twelve months may be extended at most to another period of the same duration if so requested by one of the parties, and noting that the local Serb community has requested such an extension, as indicated by the Secretary-General in his report of 28 August 1996 (S/1996/705), Determining that the situation in Croatia continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security, Determined to ensure the security and freedom of movement of the personnel of the United Nations peacekeeping operations in the Republic of Croatia, and, to these ends, acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, (the Security Council) 1. Expresses its full support for UNTAES, and calls upon the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the local Serb community to cooperate fully with UNTAES and other international bodies and to fulfil all obligations and commitments specified in the Basic Agreement and all relevant Security Council resolutions, as well as in the letter of the Government of the Republic of Croatia of 13 January 1997 (S/1997/27, annex); 2. Reaffirms in particular the importance of full compliance by the parties, in particular by the Government of the Republic of Croatia, with their commitments, as specified in the Basic Agreement, to respect the highest standards of human rights and fundamental freedoms and to promote an atmosphere of confidence among local residents regardless of their ethnic origin, and urges the Government of the Republic of Croatia to ensure respect for the rights of all persons of all national ethnic groups; 3. Reaffirms the right of all refugees and displaced persons originating from the Republic of Croatia to return to their homes of origin throughout the Republic of Croatia; 4. Strongly urges the Government of the Republic of Croatia to eliminate promptly the administrative and legal obstacles to the return of refugees and displaced persons, in particular those posed by the Law on Temporary Take Over and Administration of Specified Property; to create the necessary conditions of security, safety, and social and economic opportunity for those returning to their homes in Croatia, including the prompt payment of pensions; and to foster the successful implementation of the Agreement on the Operational Procedures of Return (S/1997/341) treating all returnees equally, regardless of ethnic origin; 5. Reminds the local Serb population in Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium of the importance of continuing to demonstrate a constructive attitude towards the reintegration of the region and a willingness to cooperate fully with the Government of the Republic of Croatia in building a stable and positive future for the Region; 6. Reiterates its previous calls on all the States in the region, including the Government of the Republic of Croatia, to cooperate fully with the International Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia; 7. Urges the Government of the Republic of Croatia to eliminate ambiguities in implementation of the Amnesty Law, and to implement it fairly and objectively in accordance with international standards, in particular by concluding all investigations of crimes covered by the amnesty and undertaking an immediate and comprehensive review with United Nations and local Serb participation of all charges outstanding against individuals for serious violations of international humanitarian law which are not covered by the amnesty in order to end proceedings against all individuals against whom there in insufficient evidence; 8. Decides to extend the mandate of UNTAES until 15 January 1998, as envisaged in its resolution 1079 (1996) of 15 November 1996; 9. Endorses the plan for the gradual devolution of executive responsibility for civil administration in the Region by the Transitional Administrator, as set out in the report of the Secretary- general of 23 June 1997; 10. Endorses the plan for restructuring UNTAES, as outlined in the report of the Secretary-General of 23 June 1997, and, in particular, the proposal for achieving the drawdown of the UNTAES military component by 15 October 1997; 11. Stresses that the pace of the gradual devolution of executive responsibility would be commensurate with Croatia's demonstrated ability to reassure the Serb population and successfully complete peaceful reintegration; 12. Reiterates its decision in its resolution 1037 (1996) that Member States, acting nationally or through regional organisations of arrangements, may, at the request of UNTAES and on the basis of procedures communicated to the United Nations, take all necessary measures, including close air support, in defence of UNTAES and, as appropriate, to assist in the withdrawal of UNTAES; 13. Requests that UNTAES and the multinational stabilisation force authorised by the Council in resolution 1088 (1996) of 12 December 1996 continue to cooperate, as appropriate, with each other, as well as with the High Representative; 14. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to keep the Council regularly informed of the situation and to report in any case no later than 6 October 1997 on all aspects relevant to the peaceful reintegration of the Region; 15. Stresses the importance of demilitarisation of the area, and in that context stresses further the importance of achieving bilateral agreements on demilitarisation and a liberal border regime in the region of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium, accompanied by appropriate confidence-building measures as suggested in the report of the Secretary-General of 23 June 1997; 16. Calls upon the Government of the Republic of Croatia, inter alia, to initiate a country-wide public programme of national reconciliation, to take all necessary steps for the official establishment and legal registration of the Joint Council of Municipalities, and to fulfil all its obligations as specified in the various agreements signed with UNTAES; 17. Welcomes the renewed mandate of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) of 26 June 1997 (S/1997/496) providing for a continued and reinforced OSCE presence in the Republic of Croatia, with a particular focus on two-way return of all refugees and displaced persons, protection of their rights, and the protection of persons belonging to national minorities, welcomes also the decision of OSCE for the build-up starting July 1997 of its mission personnel with a view to full deployment by 15 January 1998, and urges the Government of the Republic of Croatia to cooperate fully with the OSCE mission to that end; 18. Underlines the observation of the Secretary-General that the essential prerequisite for the successful completion of peaceful reintegration of the Region is the full cooperation of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, which bears the responsibility for convincing the local population that the reintegration of the people of the Region is sustainable and that the process of reconciliation and return is irreversible; 19. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter. (hina) rm mm 142010 MET jul 97