SECURITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZES INCREASE IN STRENGTH OF UNMIBH

Press Release
SC/6350

SECURITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZES INCREASE IN STRENGTH OF UNMIBH

The Security Council this evening authorized an increase in strength of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) by 186 police and 11 civilian personnel, to enable the Mission to monitor, restructure and retrain police in the Brcko area and to carry out its mandate under the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Council took that action when it unanimously adopted resolution 1103 (1997).

Acknowledging the importance of ensuring that the International Police Task Force (IPTF) maintain a sufficient presence throughout the country to carry out all its tasks related to the investigation of human rights abuses by local police, the Council decided to consider expeditiously the Secretary- General's recommendations that the Force be strengthened with an additional 120 police personnel.

The Council urged Member States to provide qualified police monitors and other forms of assistance to IPTF and called on all parties to the Peace Agreement to implement it and to fully cooperate with the IPTF.

The Council stressed the need for continued close coordination between the multinational Stabilization Force (SFOR) and the IPTF, in particular in the area of Brcko.

The meeting began at 6:24 p.m. and was adjourned at 6:26 p.m.

Resolution Adopted

The full text of resolution 1103 is as follows:

"The Security Council

"Recalling all its previous relevant resolutions concerning the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, including its resolutions 1035 (1995) of 21 December 1995 and 1088 (1996) of 12 December 1996,

"Recalling the need for implementation of the provisions of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Annexes thereto (collectively the Peace Agreement, (S/1995/999, annex), and in particular those provisions relating to cooperation with the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia,

"Noting that the United Nations International Police Task Force (UN-IPTF) has been entrusted with the tasks set out in Annex 11 of the Peace Agreement, including the tasks referred to in the Conclusions of the London Conference (S/1996/1012) and agreed by the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina,

"Noting the decision of 14 February 1997 by the arbitral tribunal on the disputed portion of the Inter-Entity Boundary Line in the Brcko area (S/1997/126), and noting the holding of the Brcko Implementation Conference in Vienna on 7 March 1997,

"Reminding all parties to Annex 2 to the Peace Agreement of their obligation, in accordance with Article V of that Annex, to be bound by the decision of the arbitral tribunal and to implement it without delay,

"Expressing its appreciation to the personnel of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH), including that of the UN-IPTF, for their work in assisting in the implementation of the Peace Agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to all other personnel of the international community engaged in implementing the Peace Agreement,

"Welcoming the report of the Secretary-General of 14 March 1997 (S/1997/224 and Add.1),

"1. Decides to authorize an increase in the strength of UNMIBH by 186 police and 11 civilian personnel, in the light of the recommendation of the Secretary-General concerning the role of the UN-IPTF in Brcko contained in his report of 14 March 1997, and in order to enable it to carry out its mandate set out in Annex 11 of the Peace Agreement and resolution 1088 (1996) of 12 December 1996;

Security Council - 3 - Press Release SC/6350 3760th Meeting (Night) 31 March 1997

"2. Acknowledges the importance of ensuring that the UN-IPTF is able to carry out all the tasks with which it has been entrusted, in particular those tasks set out in the conclusions of the London Conference and agreed by the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and decides to consider expeditiously the recommendations of the Secretary-General concerning those tasks contained in his report of 14 March 1997;

"3. Urges Member States, with the support of the Secretary-General, to provide qualified police monitors and other forms of assistance and support to the UN-IPTF and in support of the Peace Agreement;

"4. Calls upon all parties to the Peace Agreement to implement all aspects of that Agreement and to cooperate in full with the UN-IPTF in the conduct of its activities;

"5. Stresses the need for the continued closest possible coordination between the multinational stabilization force and that UN-IPTF, in particular in the area of Brcko;

"6. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter."

Report of Secretary-General

The Security Council had before it a report of the Secretary-General on the activities of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) (document S/1997/224 and Add. 1), in which he recommends a strengthening of the Mission and of the International Police Task force (IPTF) to enable the force to carry out responsibilities recommended by the Brcko Implementation Conference held at Vienna on 6 and 7 March, as well as those called for by last year's second Peace Implementation Conference (also known as the "London Conference").

Should the Council approve the Brcko Conference recommendation, the Secretary-General recommends that it authorize an increase in the Mission's strength by 186 police and 11 civilian personnel. With respect to the London Conference, whose conclusions it endorsed on 12 December 1996, he recommends that the Council consider authorizing an increase of 120 police personnel for the Force, to enable it to discharge an expanded human rights mandate while still carrying out its basic monitoring functions throughout the country.

In an addendum to his report, the Secretary-General estimates that the costs associated with the additional deployment of the 186 civilian police for a period of 12 months would be approximately $13.9 million. The costs associated with deployment of the additional 120 Task Force monitors for a period of 12 months are estimated at some $9.5 million

Security Council - 4 - Press Release SC/6350 3760th Meeting (Night) 31 March 1997

The Brcko Conference endorsed proposals presented by the Secretary- General's Special Representative for international policing in Brcko. Those proposals took account of the arbitration award announced on 14 February, which called for the monitoring, restructuring and retraining of the police in that area with an intensity far beyond that in other parts of the country. Specifically, they provide for the placement of one IPTF monitor in every police patrol in the jurisdiction while they work, as well as rapid initiation of police restructuring, training and human rights activities. Implementation of the proposals would require the deployment of the additional 186 IPTF monitors, together with 11 civilian personnel.

The London Conference, held on 4 and 5 December 1996, gave additional responsibilities to IPTF for investigating human rights abuses by local police forces, the report states. The IPTF Commissioner has carried out a thorough assessment in order to determine that 120 additional personnel would be needed to enable the Force to implement the human rights, training and restructuring aspects of its mandate, while not allowing its monitoring capacity to fall below acceptable levels.

In making his recommendations, the Secretary-General cautions that the proposed role for IPTF in the Brcko area would have to be carried out in close cooperation with the Peace Stabilization Force (SFOR), the legal successor to the Implementation Force (IFOR) that was led by the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO). "This Force is currently the principal guarantor of the fragile peace that exists today in Bosnia and Herzegovina", he states.

As the IPTF would remain an unarmed force, without powers of arrest, it would require the concerted and constant support of the international community to ensure that all parties played their part in achieving the goals of the arbitration award, he adds. As with the situation in Mostar, the success of the police plan for Brcko would depend, ultimately, on the authorities on the ground and on the determination of the international community to see that those authorities live up to their commitments.

He goes on to note that the arbitration award places obligations on the authorities of the Republika Srpska, in particular, which they have so far been reluctant to implement in other parts of the entity. Those obligations relate to freedom of movement, the return of refugees and the restructuring of the police.

Reviewing the situation on the ground since the 9 December 1996 report of his predecessor, the Secretary-General says tensions have persisted between the different ethnic communities. That was reflected in the violence that erupted all too often when displaced persons attempted to return to their homes. The authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with international assistance, were still in the first three months of the "stabilization" or

Security Council - 5 - Press Release SC/6350 3760th Meeting (Night) 31 March 1997

"consolidation" period. While admirable progress had been achieved in such areas as the establishment of joint institutions, progress in other areas remained "dangerously slow".

The Secretary-General expresses concern, in particular, about the status of cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, noting that "four of the five signatories to Annex 11 of the Peace Agreement have yet to comply with their basic undertakings in the Agreement". Continuing, he says, "I can only repeat my deep conviction that there will be no genuine peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina without justice. Reconciliation cannot take root if the people suspected of unspeakable crimes are able to move openly and live with impunity in the society."

The Secretary-General also reviews activities of the Mine Action Centre, which continues to assist in mine-clearance programmes. However, he notes that further voluntary contributions are urgently required to train and employ additional deminers, to enable the existing programmes to continue beyond 14 May, when funds will be exhausted. He also addresses the activities of the Trust Fund Unit, which continues to monitor 52 ongoing projects in Sarajevo, many of which are nearing completion.

The report also cites activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina by the following members of the United Nations system: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); World Bank; World Food Programme (WFP); and World Health Organization (WHO).

* *** *