ASSEMBLY SUPPORTS ACTIVITIES OF EUROPEAN SECURITY GROUP, APPROVES INTENSIFIED COOPERATION WITH UNITED NATIONS
Press Release
GA/9199
ASSEMBLY SUPPORTS ACTIVITIES OF EUROPEAN SECURITY GROUP, APPROVES INTENSIFIED COOPERATION WITH UNITED NATIONS
19961212 Joint Efforts on Human Rights, Protection of Refugees Endorsed; Speakers Applaud Collaboration on Bosnia and Herzegovina Peace PlanThe General Assembly this morning expressed its support for the activities of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) aimed at contributing to stability, peace and security within its region, as the Assembly concluded its review of cooperation with the regional body.
The Assembly welcomed the intensification of collaboration between the United Nations and the OSCE in areas such as human rights protection, and the return and reintegration of refugees, by adopting a resolution, as amended, by a vote of 158 in favour to none against, with 4 abstentions (Armenia, Federated States of Micronesia, Nepal and Papua New Guinea). The efforts of the OSCE, in cooperation with the United Nations, to support the peace agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina were praised by the terms of the resolution, which was introduced by Denmark. (For details of vote, see Annex III.)
Before that action, the Assembly adopted an amendment to the draft, introduced by Azerbaijan, by which it expressed full support for the work of the OSCE to reach a peaceful solution to the conflict in and around the Nagorny Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. That amendment was adopted by a vote of 43 in favour to 1 against (Armenia) with 103 abstentions (Annex II).
In a procedural action prior to the vote on the amendment, the representative of Armenia put forward a motion of no-action on Azerbaijan's proposal. He said that the OSCE membership had already reached consensus on the means of settling the Nagorny Karabakh conflict, based on the balance and objectiveness of the OSCE Minsk Group mediation efforts.
Armenia's motion for no-action was rejected by a vote of 2 in favour (Azerbaijan, Nicaragua) to 38 against, with 106 abstentions (Annex I). The representative of Finland, currently one of the co-chairmen of the Minsk Conference, said a political settlement should be achieved based on the principles of territorial integrity of States and the right to self-
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determination. However, a political settlement was possible only if the parties were ready to compromise in a way they had been unwilling to do in regard to the draft resolution.
During the discussion on cooperation with the OSCE, statements were made by Ireland, for the European Union and associated States, Ukraine, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Belarus, Malta, Russian Federation, Hungary and Albania. The Secretary-General of the OSCE also spoke, as did the Observer for Switzerland, in his capacity as OSCE Chairman-in-Office. Statements in explanation of position were made by the representative of Ireland (for the European Union), Egypt and the Russian Federation.
Also this morning, the Assembly was notified by the Secretary-General on matters being considered by the Security Council and on those matters with which the Council has ceased to deal. Other subjects which were on the Assembly's agenda for consideration this morning were deferred until tomorrow afternoon.
The Assembly meets again at 3 p.m. today to take up the reports of its Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural).
Assembly Work Programme
The General Assembly met this morning to review cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to review a note by the Secretary-General on matters being considered by the Security Council.
The Assembly was also scheduled to take action on drafts related to special economic assistance to Comoros, Somalia, Rwanda, Congo, as well as to assistance to the Palestinian people. Also scheduled for action is a draft relating to cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity (OAU). (For background information on reports on economic assistance, see Press Release GA/9170 of 21 November; for a summary of the report on cooperation with the OAU, see Press Release GA/9177 of 27 November.)
In addition before the Assembly are reports of its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) relating to the financing of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH), the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES) and the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP).
Cooperation with OSCE
According to the Secretary-General's report on cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE (document A/51/489 and Add.1), collaboration between the two organizations has been evident at a variety of levels during the past year, as has the continuing consolidation of links between the United Nations and the OSCE. That cooperation and coordination aims at making the best possible use of the resources made available by governments to international organizations to carry out the tasks assigned to them. In addition, the avoidance of duplicative or overlapping mandates will facilitate effective coordination.
Based on an informal understanding on shared division of labour between the two organizations, the report continues, the United Nations has retained the lead in peacemaking efforts in Tajikistan and in Abkhazia, Georgia, while the OSCE has had the lead on the question of the Nagorny Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Moldova and South Ossetia, Georgia. Specific efforts have been made to improve contacts and cooperation in the field, at the negotiating table and between the respective headquarters. Those steps have resulted in enhanced coordination with the aim of making better use of the resources of the international community in the interests of the countries being assisted.
In many of the countries in which both organizations are active, cooperation has intensified at the field level, the Secretary-General's report states. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the OSCE was responsible for the conduct
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of elections for the presidency and other high-level bodies, held on 14 September. Monitors of the United Nations International Police Task Force (IPTF) assisted the OSCE and were deployed throughout the country on election day, monitoring and providing guidance to local police forces. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and other United Nations offices and organizations also assisted the OSCE in organizing the elections within the limits of their mandates.
In February, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights provided an introductory human rights training course to the OSCE monitors in Vienna, prior to their departure for Bosnia and Herzegovina, the report states. That was supplemented by a human rights field guide, as well as a more comprehensive training course conducted in Bosnia and Herzegovina in July, in cooperation with the Council of Europe. Professionals from the High Commissioner's field operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina also participated in the drafting of human rights-related election guidelines and proposed and evaluated responses to election-related rights abuses.
Regarding the conflict over the Nagorny Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, the report states that the United Nations continues to support the ongoing peacemaking efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group. In view of the continuing humanitarian crisis in the region, as well as in support of the OSCE Minsk Group, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) sent a mission to Baku and Yerevan from 9 to 12 September. In meetings with the two Presidents and other senior government officials in Baku and Yerevan, the mission discussed the humanitarian situations in Azerbaijan and Armenia, including the possibility of starting non-political negotiations on humanitarian issues, in particular the return of refugees and internally displaced persons.
The United Nations and the OSCE continued their interaction in Tajikistan with a view to bringing about a political solution to the four-year-old conflict, says the Secretary-General. The United Nations was primarily responsible for peacemaking and peace-keeping in the country, while the OSCE mission there has concentrated on the promotion of human rights and democratic institution-building. In addition, it provided protection to Tajik returnees in the southern province of Khatlon. The OSCE representatives participated as observers at the United Nations-sponsored inter-Tajik talks. The United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan (UNMOT) and the OSCE mission in Tajikistan are cooperating closely in broadening the spectrum of political parties and movements participating in the inter-Tajik political dialogue.
During the reporting period, the United Nations and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights jointly conducted electoral observation missions in Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan, the report continues. Following official requests from those governments, the two organizations sent
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joint needs-assessment missions and subsequently established joint electoral missions, observing the parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan in November 1995 and the presidential elections in Kyrgyzstan in December 1995. Both missions observed the electoral process and coordinated and supported the activities of other international election observers.
The UNHCR has begun collaboration with the OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities on the subject of return and reintegration of formerly deported peoples in countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the report states. Other areas of mutual interest have also been examined, particularly with regard to questions of nationality and citizenship in Europe.
The informal process of tripartite consultations, initiated in 1994 between the United Nations Office at Geneva, the OSCE and the Council of Europe, continued with the holding of consultations in Paris in December 1995 under the chairmanship of the Council's Secretary-General. Because of the intensified activities with regard to the former Yugoslavia, particularly by the OSCE, it did not prove feasible to hold target-oriented meetings, as previously planned, during the course of 1996. The next tripartite consultations are expected to be held before the end of the year at Geneva at the invitation of the United Nations Office at Geneva.
In the addendum to the report, the Secretary-General notes that the UNHCR has been in contact with the OSCE regarding the situations in Latvia and Estonia, where the OSCE maintains offices. Additionally, the High Commissioner has been in contact with the OSCE regarding technical cooperation activities in the Republic of Moldova.
By the terms of a related draft resolution (document A/51/L.52), the Assembly would commend the OSCE for the fulfilment, in cooperation with the United Nations, of its role under the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, noting in particular such accomplishments as the successful supervision of the September elections and its efforts to protect human rights.
The Assembly would welcome the OSCE's decision to continue work in Bosnia in areas related to the building of democratic structures and the fostering of civil society through the promotion of human rights standards. Welcoming the fact that the OSCE will supervise the forthcoming municipal elections in Bosnia, the Assembly would underline the responsibility of the parties to organize free and fair elections. Within that context, the Assembly would welcome further cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE.
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The Assembly would also welcome the continued effort of the OSCE to contribute to regional stabilization in and around Bosnia and to assist in the implementation of agreements on confidence- and security-building measures, on subregional arms control, as well as to promote negotiations on regional arms control.
In addition, the Assembly would express support for the activities of the OSCE aimed at contributing to the stability and the maintenance of peace and security within its region, and would stress the importance of the work done by its field missions. The Secretary-General would be requested to continue exploring with the OSCE Chairman-in-Office possibilities for further enhancement of cooperation and information exchange between the two bodies.
That draft is sponsored by Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Georgia, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Russian Federation, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and Uzbekistan.
By the terms of an amendment to that draft submitted by Azerbaijan (document A/51/L.54), a new operative paragraph 9 would be added. Under its terms, the Assembly would fully support the activities of the OSCE to achieve a peaceful solution to the conflict in and around the Nagorny Karabakh region of the Azerbaijan Republic and welcome cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE in that regard.
Notification on Security Council Matters
Another document before the Assembly (document A/51/521) is a Secretary- General's note on matters relating to the maintenance of international peace and security that are being dealt with by the Security Council and also matters with which the Council has ceased to deal.
According to Article 12 of the United Nations Charter, the Assembly shall not make any recommendation regarding any dispute or situation to which the Security Council is seized unless the Council so requests. The Charter instructs the Secretary-General to notify the Assembly at each session of matters it continues to address, and those that it has ceased considering.
In his note, the Secretary-General states that since he last reported on that matter to the Assembly's fiftieth session, the Council has considered situations in the following countries and regions: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Western Sahara, Croatia, former Yugoslavia, Angola, Rwanda, Tajikistan and along the Tajik-Afghan border, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Middle East, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Cyprus, Burundi, Georgia, Somalia, Afghanistan and the occupied Arab territories.
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The Council also reviewed matters relating to the following: the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations; the question concerning Haiti; an agenda for peace: preventive diplomacy, peacemaking and peace-keeping; an agenda for peace: peace-keeping; and the situation between Iraq and Kuwait. Also under consideration were the shooting down of two civil aircraft in February; appointment of the Prosecutor for the International Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda; the signature of the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Pelindaba); the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia; and demining in the context of United Nations peace-keeping.
In addition to listing items either dropped from the Council's agenda or not discussed during the last year, the note reviews procedural decisions relating to the deletion of matters from the list of those with which the Council is seized.
Emergency Economic Assistance
By the terms of a draft resolution on assistance to the Comoros (document A/51/L.27/Rev.1), the Assembly would urgently appeal to all States and appropriate international organizations, including those of the United Nations, to provide assistance to the Comoros Government in repairing the damage caused by the act of aggression of 28 September 1995. In the text's preambular part, the Assembly takes note of the fact that on that day an army of international mercenaries invaded the Comoros and overthrew the President of the Republic.
The Secretary-General would be requested to furnish all necessary support for such international assistance. He would be asked to dispatch to Moroni, as soon as possible, a multidisciplinary humanitarian and technical assessment mission to study the needs of the country in terms of assistance. Also, the donor community and the United Nations would be asked to grant to the Comoros all necessary humanitarian, financial, economic and technical assistance, in order to enable it to attain national reconstruction and sustainable development.
The sponsors of that draft are Belize, Congo, Jordan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
The draft resolution on assistance to Somalia (document A/51/L.37/Rev.1) would have the Assembly appeal to all Somali parties to terminate hostilities and to engage in a national reconciliation process that allows for transition from relief to reconstruction and development. All parties, movements and factions in Somalia would be called upon to respect the security and safety of personnel of the United Nations and its specialized agencies and of non- governmental organizations, and to guarantee their complete freedom of movement throughout Somalia.
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The Assembly would emphasize that the Somali people, particularly at the local level, bore primary responsibility for their own development and for the sustainability of rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance programmes. The Assembly would note the importance of collaborative systems between the United Nations and both international and local organizations for the execution of rehabilitation and development activities in parts of the country where peace and security prevail.
States and organizations would be urged to assist the Somali people in efforts to rehabilitate basic social and economic services, as well as institution-building aimed at the restoration of civil administration at the local level in areas where security and stability prevail. The Secretary- General would be asked to mobilize international humanitarian, rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance for Somalia, and the international community would be called upon to contribute funds to meet the needs outlined in the recent inter-agency appeal for Somalia.
The draft is sponsored by Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, China, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, India, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Yemen and Zaire.
The Assembly has also before it a draft resolution (document A/51/L.50/Rev.1), sponsored by New Zealand and Rwanda, concerning international assistance to Rwanda for the reintegration of returning refugees, the restoration of total peace, reconstruction and socio-economic development in that country.
Under its provisions, the Assembly would welcome the commitment of the Government of Rwanda to cooperate with and to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of all humanitarian personnel, including personnel of non-governmental organizations, operating in the country. States and organizations would be urged to continue to assist Rwanda in the resettlement and reintegration of refugees and other vulnerable groups in the context of the national reconciliation process. Those bodies would also be called upon to assist with the rehabilitation in the areas of education, health, justice, security and public infrastructure.
Further by the draft, the international community would be called upon to continue its assistance, with a view to alleviating the intolerable conditions in Rwanda's prisons and to expediting the processing of cases. The Government would be encouraged to continue its efforts to improve the judicial system, including by expediting the trial process, and also to continue to improve the situation in the prisons. In addition, the International Tribunal for Rwanda would be encouraged to pursue its work speedily. States would be
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called upon to cooperate with the Tribunal, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions, and would also be urged to provide funds to projects and programmes for the reintegration of refugees.
Also by the text, States, in particular the States of the Great Lakes region, would be called upon to act in accordance with the recommendations adopted by the Nairobi Summit (January 1995), the Regional Conference on Assistance to Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in the Great Lakes Region (Bujumbura, February 1995), and with those contained in the Cairo Declaration on the Great Lakes Region. States of the region would also be requested to continue efforts with regard to the search for peace in the Great Lakes region, in particular the convening of a conference on security, stability and development there after consulting the countries of the region.
A draft decision submitted by the Congo (document A/51/L.43) on special assistance to the front-line States and other neighbouring States, would have the Assembly welcome the establishment of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defence and Security, which, effectively supersedes "the front-line States".
Also by that draft, the Assembly would urge the international community to continue to provide financial, material and technical assistance needed to develop the capacity of SADC countries to reconstruct, rehabilitate and develop their economies. The Assembly would discontinue consideration of the issues related to the "front-line States" under its current agenda item relating to humanitarian assistance, and instead consider them in relation to cooperation between the United Nations and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Also before the Assembly is a draft resolution on assistance to the Palestinian people (document A/51/L.41). Under its provisions, the Assembly would urge States and organizations to extend economic and social assistance to the Palestinian people in order to assist in the development of the West Bank and Gaza, and to do so in close cooperation with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and through official Palestinian institutions. Also, organizations and agencies would be called upon to intensify their assistance in response to the urgent needs of the Palestinian people in accordance with the Palestinian priorities set forth by the Palestinian Authority, with emphasis on national execution and capacity-building.
Member States would be urged to open their markets to exports from the West Bank and Gaza and on the most favourable terms, consistent with appropriate trading rules. The international donor community would be called upon to expedite the delivery of pledged assistance to the Palestinian people to meet their urgent needs. The Assembly would stress the importance of the work done by the United Nations Special Coordinator in the Occupied
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Territories and of the steps taken under the auspices of the Secretary-General to ensure the achievement of a coordinated mechanism for United Nations activities throughout the occupied territories.
In addition, the Assembly would suggest the convening in 1997 of a United Nations-sponsored seminar on the Palestinian economy. The Secretary- General would be requested to submit a report to the Assembly's next session, through the Economic and Social Council, with assessments of the assistance actually received by the Palestinian people, as well as an assessment of the needs still not met and specific proposals for responding effectively to them.
The draft is sponsored by Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Cooperation with OAU
By the terms of the revised draft resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU (document A/51/L.19/Rev.1), containing 28 operative paragraphs, the Assembly would note with appreciation the increasing participation and constructive contribution of the OAU to the work of the United Nations. United Nations organs, in particular the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council, would be called upon to continue to closely involve the OAU in all their activities concerning Africa.
The Assembly would welcome the agreement between the United Nations and the OAU to strengthen and broaden cooperation to prevent and resolve conflicts in Africa. In that regard, the United Nations would be invited to provide the OAU with the necessary support for the consolidation and promotion of a culture of peace, tolerance and harmonious relationships in Africa.
Commending the OAU's activities to resolve conflicts in Africa, the Assembly would call for the strengthening of mechanisms for information exchange in areas such as preventive diplomacy, peacemaking and peace-keeping operations. The Assembly would also commend the current efforts of the OAU to strengthen its capacity in the field of conflict resolution and to make operational its Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution in Africa.
Also by that draft, the Assembly would be invited to assist the OAU in strengthening its institutional and operational capacity in the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts in Africa, in particular in the following areas: development of an OAU early-warning system; technical assistance and training of personnel, including a staff exchange programme; coordination of information exchange between both bodies' respective early- warning systems; logistical support; and mobilization of financial support.
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Donor countries would be encouraged to provide adequate funding and training to enable African countries to participate in peace-keeping operations within the framework of the United Nations. The United Nations would be urged to support the organization's efforts to manage a peaceful democratic transition in Africa, in particular in the areas of education for democracy, election observation, human rights and freedom, including technical support to the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights. All Member States and regional and international organizations would be urged to provide the necessary economic, financial and technical assistance to refugees and displaced persons, as well as to the African countries of asylum.
Urging support for the African Economic Community and efforts towards economic integration and cooperation in Africa, the Assembly would emphasize the urgency of the need to implement the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s. In particular, means were needed to facilitate economic reforms, including the effective mobilization and efficient utilization of domestic resources; to promote private sector and foreign direct investment; to intensify the democratic process and the strengthening of civil society; to solve Africa's debt problem; to diversify African economies; and to support the development of women.
The Secretary-General, in association with the OAU, would be invited to follow up and monitor the implementation of the New Agenda for Africa, including a final review of its implementation in the year 2002.
Financing of UNMIBH, UNTAES and UNPREDEP
By a draft resolution on the financing of UNMIBH, contained in the report of the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) (document A/51/710), the Assembly would appropriate $75.6 million gross ($72.2 million net) for the 12-month period from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997 and apportion it on an ad hoc basis at a monthly rate of $12.6 million gross ($12 million net) should the Security Council extend the Mission beyond 20 December. The amount -- which includes $1.9 million for the support account for peace-keeping operations -- would be an addition to the $75.6 million gross ($72.2 million net) appropriated and assessed last June for the rest of 1996.
The draft text on UNTAES, as recommended by the Fifth Committee (document A/51/711), would have the Assembly appropriate $140.5 million gross ($136.1 million net) and apportion it on an ad hoc basis for the same 12-month period. The sum -- which includes $3.4 million for the support account -- would be an addition to the $140.5 million gross ($136.1 million net) appropriated and assessed last June for the rest of 1996.
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The draft contained in the Fifth Committee report (document A/51/712) on UNPREDEP would have the Assembly appropriate $25.4 million gross ($24.6 million net) for the mission for the period from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997. The sum would be apportioned on an ad hoc basis at a monthly rate of $4.2 million gross ($4.1 million net), should the Council extend the Force beyond 31 May 1997. The appropriation -- which includes $632,400 for the support account -- would be an addition to the $26.3 million gross ($25.5 million net) previously appropriated for the second half of 1996. Other Matters
The Assembly was also expected to defer its consideration of agenda items relating to: an OAU declaration on military attack against Libya by the United States in April 1986; Israeli aggression against the Iraqi nuclear installations and its grave consequences for the established international system on peaceful uses of nuclear energy and on non-proliferation; the consequences of the Iraqi occupation of and aggression against Kuwait; the implementation of United Nations resolutions; and the question of the Comorian Island of Mayotte.
Statements on Cooperation with OSCE
BENNY KIMBERG (Denmark) introduced the draft resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE, on behalf of its co-sponsors as well as Switzerland, which currently chairs that body. He said the text acknowledged the increasing contribution of the OSCE to the establishment and maintenance of international peace and security in its region through early warning mechanisms and preventive diplomacy. That included the work of the High Commissioner on National Minorities, as well as efforts in crisis management, arms control and disarmament, post-crisis stabilization and rehabilitation, economic measures, and support for the human dimension.
ELDAR G. KOULIEV (Azerbaijan) said the Assembly had often acknowledged the OSCE's ever-increasing contribution to the maintenance of international security in its region, covering the entire area from Vancouver to Vladivostok. One of the major aspects of cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE was in the peaceful settlement of conflicts. The OSCE continued to play a leading role in the search for a peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. Azerbaijan had often repeated its commitment to the peaceful settlement of the conflict with Armenia within the framework of the OSCE's Minsk process. Azerbaijan would continue to respect the cease- fire, which had now been in force for more than two and a half years, until a political agreement was concluded.
He said Azerbaijan's amendment to the draft resolution was to include a separate paragraph on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. The language of the proposed amendment was also a considerably weaker version of the text which
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appeared in an earlier text on cooperation with the OSCE -- resolution 49/13 of 15 November 1994. Stressing that the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan had been unequivocally confirmed by the international community, he said the Assembly should not allow the destructive stance of one State to call into question the sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of a United Nations Member State.
JOHANNES J. MANZ, Observer for Switzerland, speaking in his capacity as the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE, said that the main focus for that organization was the implementation of the peace agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The elections of 14 September were not perfect, but were the first step on the long road to democracy and the beginning of greater political transparency and tolerance. The democratic rebuilding of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including preparation for the postponed municipal election, would remain a concern, and the OSCE would also continue to protect human rights and regional stability. It had also been able to make a contribution to the peace process in Chechnya through its support group in Grozny. The OSCE involvement was an expression of the serious interest of the international community in achieving a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
The OSCE, he went on, had continued to pursue its preventive diplomacy through the activities of the High Commissioner for National Minorities and through its different long-term missions in Tajikistan, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and in Lithuania and Estonia. He regretted the absence of further progress towards resolving the Nagorny Karabakh conflict.
He noted that the recent summit of heads of State and government in Lisbon had passed a declaration intended to be the first stage of the discussion of a "Common and Comprehensive Security Model for Europe" in the twenty-first century. He said Switzerland, as Chairman-in-Office, strove towards rational division of labour and efficient cooperation among international organizations. He was convinced that the OSCE, in application of the principle of subsidiarity, would be able to alleviate the burdens resting on the United Nations.
MICHAEL HOEY (Ireland), speaking for the European Union, and for Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Iceland and Norway, said that the OSCE was the only pan-European and transatlantic security organization and had become a key forum for the management of the changes that had occurred in Europe over the past seven years. In such areas as early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation, the OSCE had developed a range of skills that complemented those of the United Nations itself. The European Union, as a central pillar of integration, stability and prosperity in Europe,
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had played a leading role in the development of the OSCE. Through its future enlargement, he continued, the Union would continue to project stability and security in Europe. He supported the enhancement of the role of the OSCE.
The high level of mutual support between the United Nations and the OSCE was of benefit to both. He cited Bosnia and Herzegovina as an area where the OSCE had played an important role in various central aspects of the peace process, and where its activities in support of the recent elections, in arms control and in human rights monitoring had been essential to the positive developments. The OSCE mission in Georgia, he added, was another example of the role which both organizations could play in helping resolve conflict, as was the case in Nagorny Karabakh where the United Nations had been providing technical and political support to the OSCE Minsk process. In that situation, however, there appeared to be little willingness by the parties concerned to conduct meaningful negotiations.
He said the European Union welcomed the conclusions of the OSCE Summit in Lisbon on 2 and 3 December. The Lisbon Declaration would strengthen security and stability in the OSCE region, and would aim to provide a framework within which all States, security-related organizations and regional and subregional arrangements could work together in a constructive and mutually reinforcing way.
ANATOLI M. ZLENKO (Ukraine) said the cooperative work of the United Nations and the OSCE in implementing the humanitarian aspects of the Dayton agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina could serve as a model for future complementary efforts. Ukraine hoped that high level of cooperation in Bosnia would be maintained during the period of post-conflict peace-building. His country also welcomed the recent adoption of the Declaration on a Common and Comprehensive Security Model for Europe, which aimed at creating common security space, free of dividing lines in the OSCE region. Security assurances for neutral and non-bloc States, along with strict observance by all OSCE members of the obligations under that Declaration, would be integral to future security in Europe.
He said the United Nations and the OSCE had important roles to play. Regular meetings should be held between the two organizations to facilitate the exchange of opinions on the future security model for Europe, to maintain proper division of their responsibilities for security in Europe, and to coordinate activities and decision-making.
Within the region, conflicts characterized by violation of a State's territorial integrity had emerged, as in Georgia and Azerbaijan, he said. Since the principle of territorial integrity was a pillar of the comprehensive security system, violations of it were a dangerous precedent which could undermine the security and stability in Europe. Reliable machinery to prevent or suppress threats to a nation's territorial integrity was needed.
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Cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE should focus on such areas as protection of human rights, the problem of refugees and displaced persons, and the solution of migration problems.
CLAUDIA FRITSCHE (Liechtenstein) said the OSCE could be most effective in the fields of preventive diplomacy, crisis management, conflict prevention and conflict rehabilitation. The OSCE could play an independent role which complemented the efforts of the United Nations in those areas, as it had done in Bosnia. However, the OSCE operational capacity must be further strengthened, particularly in the field of preventive diplomacy.
She said the recent establishment of the office of the OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities was a very important step. She said the Lisbon Declaration was an important document which would work to protect the rights of minorities. It affirmed that tensions, aggressive nationalism and violations of the rights of persons belonging to national minorities were among the main security concerns in the OSCE region. Mechanisms to solve conflicts between communities living within States could be a positive element of an evolving European security system. Her Government was prepared to contribute to that effort.
OSKARAS JUSYS (Lithuania), associating his delegation with the statement on behalf of the European Union, said the benefits and achievements of improved cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE were reflected in the Secretary-General's report -- utilizing comparative advantage, increasing efficiency, better use of scarce resources. There was still, however, room for improvement and Lithuania wished to encourage further interaction through a regional arrangement within the context of Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter.
He said the draft resolution reflected the progress in this inter- institutional cooperation. An example was the joint action of the United Nations Mission of Observers and the OSCE mission in Tajikistan, where the United Nations conducted peace-keeping and peacemaking, and the OSCE promoted human rights and democratic institutions. The OSCE deserved a special tribute for laying the groundwork for democratic institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the United Nations had also been playing a key role in the maintenance of peace and security.
There were many areas where organizations such as the United Nations and the OSCE could reinforce one another. Working-level contacts should be encouraged.
ALYAKSANDR SYCHOU (Belarus) said that in the past few years, cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE had been activated at both the political and the organizational levels, including peace-keeping, monitoring of human rights, monitoring of elections and other fields in conflict areas.
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The growing influence of the OSCE in European affairs was particularly important in the field of ensuring peace and security in the region. The OSCE was the best structure for an all-European dialogue on preventing potential conflict. This fact should be kept in mind by the United Nations, and in particular by the Security Council.
The new system of security in Europe meant that no single State should strengthen its security at the expense of others. There should be no spheres of influence, he said; security was to be achieved not by mutual deterrence but through mutual guarantees. In this, the international organizations -- the United Nations, the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) -- had a role to play. Belarus shared the view that building a united Europe was a priority over the integration into NATO of individual countries. A new European architecture was within the capabilities only of the OSCE. Within that context, support should be given to measures harmonizing joint actions between United Nations and OSCE missions.
JOSEPH CASSAR (Malta) said the rapidly evolving dynamic of international relations provided the opportunity and imposed the need to promote and enhance cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE. The time had come to find a lasting and practical formula. The Lisbon Declaration adopted just over a week ago aimed at the establishment of a cooperative foundation for common security to build a peaceful OSCE region where all nations and individuals felt secure.
He said Mediterranean security was closely linked to European security and thus to international peace and security. That concept, which Malta had assiduously promoted since the early 1970s in Helsinki, was now acknowledged as the point of departure in all initiatives which had as their final objective the strengthening of security and cooperation in the region.
He noted that institution-building had assumed particular importance in the life of the OSCE, particularly with regard to tackling the challenges in regions ravaged by tension and conflict. The recent general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina were a tribute to the organization's efforts, and its success in contributing towards democracy-building and the consolidation of stability and security. The United Nations and the OSCE should continue to consolidate and enhance their cooperation as the threats to security continued to evolve. Citing such threats today as terrorism, organized crime, drugs and arms trafficking, uncontrolled migration and environmental damage, he stressed that they underlined the need for a lasting practical formula for cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE.
ALEKSANDR GORELIK (Russian Federation) said the key question was how best to link up and strengthen regional and global efforts and to improve the living conditions of people. The basic areas of cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE, he continued, should be areas of international
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interest and concern. Advocating the strengthening of the OSCE, he said the past year had seen a good deal of progress, although his country would have appreciated even more. The recent Lisbon Summit had given the OSCE the role of a coordinator in matters of security in Europe.
A more energetic and effective OSCE would greatly help the efforts of the United Nations in many areas, he went on. He commended the role of the OSCE in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and hoped that the organization would continue to devote its energies to the process. The United Nations, with its extensive experience, could provide tremendous support to OSCE efforts, he added. He hoped the draft resolution before the Assembly, of which his country was a co- sponsor, would provide fresh momentum in those efforts.
ISTVAN NATHON (Hungary) said the development of a new security system in Europe had been under way at a time when many countries of the region were facing hardships arising from their transition to market economies. In addition, a great number of ethnic conflicts had emerged. In contrast to the hope that national and ethnic aspirations would be pursued through democratic methods, some had wished to have their intentions recognized by means of violence and arms. However, the final Declaration at the recent Lisbon Summit had emphasized the need for the OSCE to focus on the impact of economic, social and environmental issues on security. The Declaration had also stressed the importance of the protection of human rights and the strengthening of democratic institutions.
He said regional organizations had a greater role in international relations than ever before. With new conflicts and ever-increasing global diversity, regional organizations could act to solve many problems. The constructive working relationship between the United Nations and the OSCE demonstrated the advantages of international division of labour. So as to enhance cooperative efforts to maintain peace and security in Europe, a common early-warning system must be further elaborated. Joint efforts in preventive diplomacy and post-conflict peace-building should be areas of future collaboration.
PELLUMB KULLA (Albania) said his Government welcomed the activities of the OSCE and the United Nations in crisis areas, such as Tajikistan, Nagorny Karabakh and Georgia. The activities of the OSCE and the United Nations had played a fundamental role in stabilizing the situations in Croatia and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Their cooperation in Bosnia continued to be of great importance.
He said the Albanian Government and all Albanians living in the Balkans had welcomed the Dayton Accord. However, the peace agreement had not solved the overall Balkan crisis. While putting an end to the war provoked by the primitive idea of a "Greater Serbia", it had not addressed the fact that the entire region stood at a crossroads. Peace in the Balkan region did not
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depend of Bosnia alone. The question of Kosova remained one of the most serious issues relating to peace and security in that region. As all OSCE members knew, the authorities in Belgrade had refused the OSCE mission to Kosova. The time had come for the question of Kosova to be the focus of all initiatives and developments relating to the Balkan peninsula.
GIANCARLO ARAGONA, Secretary-General of the OSCE, said the work of the OSCE in Bosnia and other areas such as Chechnya had demonstrated the flexibility and resourcefulness that allowed regional arrangements to deal effectively with the challenges common to the post-cold war environment. The Lisbon Declaration indicated the endeavour under way to strengthen the security and stability of the OSCE region. Its central philosophy was that security was comprehensive and indivisible, and that shared values were constituent elements of a stable environment.
The institutions of the OSCE worked to meet the changing security situations in the region, he said. The High Commissioner on National Minorities was a proven instrument of preventive diplomacy, working to address problems encountered by national minorities at an early stage. The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights had introduced a wide range of democracy-building projects and its personnel increasingly served as election monitors. A new mission had been launched in April in Croatia to assist the authorities in the field of human rights protection for persons from minority groups. Currently, there were 10 OSCE field missions, in addition to the Assistance Group in Chechnya.
No-Action Motion
MOVSES ABELIAN (Armenia), on a point of order, said that in accordance with rule 74 of the rules of procedure, his Government wished to make a motion of no-action on the amendment proposed by Azerbaijan to the draft on cooperation with the OSCE. The common interpretations and definitions used by the OSCE were based on the decisions taken by consensus by its member States. They expressed the common position of all members of the OSCE and were based on the awareness of the need to guarantee balance and objectiveness in the OSCE Minsk Group mediation efforts. Based on such an approach, the Lisbon Declaration had not included any paragraph on Nagorny Karabakh. For those reasons, the co-sponsors of the draft did not view the proposed amendment as appropriate.
He said the delegation of Armenia fully supported the draft and regretted that Azerbaijan had failed to take such issues into consideration. Armenia dissociated itself from any language which contradicted the decisions agreed by consensus by the OSCE. He called upon Member States to vote in favour of the Armenia's motion of no-action.
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Mr. KOULIEV (Azerbaijan) said that, as a Member State, his country had a right to propose the amendment. He called on delegations to vote against the no-action motion and to adopt the proposed amendment.
MUHAMED SACIRBEY (Bosnia and Herzegovina) said the resolution of such conflicts should be based on the territorial integrity of the State in which they arose. He urged the Assembly to reject the no-action motion.
The motion for no-action was rejected by 2 votes in favour (Armenia and Nicaragua) to 38 against, with 106 abstentions. (For details on the vote, see Annex I.)
Action on Cooperation with OSCE
JOHN H.F. CAMPBELL (Ireland), speaking for the European Union, said it was regrettable that no consensus had been reached on the draft. The text represented one of a series of technical resolutions. It had been the Assembly's practice to adopt such texts by consensus and to refrain from introducing contentious issues in them. The OSCE had established a mechanism for negotiations on the Nagorny Karabakh issue, agreed to by all the parties. The Minsk Group, co-chaired by Finland and the Russian Federation, was the appropriate forum for detailed consideration of that issue. The European Union supported Minsk principles for settlement of the issue.
He said the European Union regretted that no progress had been made in reaching a political settlement. It had appealed to the parties to continue negotiations with the Minsk process. The outcome of the vote on the amendment, on which there could be no consensus, would be to the advantage of neither party. For those reasons, the members of the European Union would abstain on the amendment, as they had done on the no-action motion.
WILHELM BREITENSTEIN (Finland) said his Government hoped that a political settlement would be achieved on the basis of the Helsinki Final Act -- in particular, the principles of territorial integrity of States, equal rights, and self-determination. With its term as co-Chair of the Minsk Conference concluding at the end of 1996, Finland wished to emphasize that a political settlement was possible only if the parties were ready to compromise. It was regrettable that it would not be possible to adopt the draft on cooperation between the OSCE and the United Nations by consensus, owing to a lack of willingness to compromise.
The amendment proposed by Azerbaijan was adopted by 43 votes in favour to 1 against (Armenia), with 103 abstentions (Annex II).
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The Assembly then adopted the resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE, as amended, by 158 votes in favour to none against, with 4 abstentions (Armenia, Federated States of Micronesia, Nepal and Papua New Guinea) (Annex III).
MAGED A. ABDEL AZIZ (Egypt) said he voted against the no-action motion, as every State had the right to propose amendments. On the substance of the amendment, Egypt voted in favour, even though the Lisbon Declaration did not include a similar paragraph on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. The Minsk conference was the proper forum to consider that particular question.
Mr. GORELIK (Russian Federation) said it was regrettable that intensive consultations had not been held with all delegations in order to maintain the traditional consensus in voting on General Assembly resolutions. It was hoped that today's vote would not create an undesirable precedent. His country had supported Azerbaijan's amendment but abstained on Armenia's procedural motion.
Notification by Secretary-General
The Assembly then took note of the Secretary-General's notification on matters being considered by the Security Council and those which it was no longer considering.
(Annexes follow)
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General Assembly Plenary Press Release GA/9199 81st Meeting (AM) 12 December 1996
ANNEX I
Vote on Motion to Take No Action
The motion to take no action on the proposed amendment to the draft resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE was defeated by a recorded vote of 2 in favour to 38 against, with 106 abstentions, as follows:
In favour: Armenia, Nicaragua.
Against: Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Chile, Comoros, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, Kazakstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Morocco, Mozambique, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uzbekistan.
Abstaining: Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Uganda, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Absent: Angola, Cape Verde, Chad, China, Congo, Croatia, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Greece, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Namibia, Palau, Paraguay, Rwanda, Saints Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zaire.
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(END OF ANNEX I)
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General Assembly Plenary Press Release GA/9199 81st Meeting (AM) 12 December 1996
ANNEX II
Vote on Amendment to OSCE Text
The amendment to the draft resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE (document A/51/L.54) was adopted by a recorded vote of 43 in favour to 1 against, with 103 abstentions, as follows:
In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam, China, Croatia, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kazakstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uzbekistan, Yemen.
Against: Armenia.
Abstaining: Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Uganda, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Absent: Angola, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Chad, Congo, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Greece, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Mongolia, Namibia, Palau, Paraguay, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, South Africa, Syria, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Vanuatu, Viet Nam.
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(END OF ANNEX II)
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General Assembly Plenary Press Release GA/9199 81st Meeting (AM) 12 December 1996
ANNEX III
Vote on Cooperation with OSCE
The draft resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE (document A/51/L.52) was adopted by a recorded vote of 158 in favour to none against, with 4 abstentions, as follows:
In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Tajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Against: None.
Abstaining: Armenia, Federated States of Micronesia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea.
Absent: Bhutan, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Greece, Lebanon, Lesotho, Namibia, Palau, Paraguay, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, Vanuatu.
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