Crisis in former Yugoslavia
Recommendation 1198
(1992)
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- See Doc. 6719, report of the Political Affairs Committee, Rapporteur : Mr Reddemann. Text adopted by the Standing Committee, acting on behalf ofthe Assembly, on 5 November 1992.
- Thesaurus
1. The Assembly endorses the declaration adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 11 September 1992 and the statement by its President following the debate on 3 October 1992.
2. It notes with dismay that the Committee of Ministers' appeal, like those of other international organisations, to implement fully the principles adopted at the International Conference on Former Yugoslavia (London Conference) has so far not been followed by the conflicting parties, and in particular by Serbia and Montenegro.
3. All countries must fully respect the United Nations embargo against Serbia and Montenegro. This embargo should be extended to include transit through Serbia and Montenegro. Neighbouring countries should facilitate the monitoring of the embargo by United Nations observers.
4. In view of the unbalanced and unfair capability of armaments of the victims as compared to that of the aggressors, to prevent arms supplies which would further accentuate this discrepancy, all member states of the Council of Europe and all states whose parliaments enjoy special guest status should allow United Nations observers to monitor their arms production and exports, if necessary through on-site inspections.
5. The Assembly expresses its horror at the violations of human rights and crimes against humanity reported by Mr Mazowiecki, United Nations Special Rapporteur.
6. Recalling its
Recommendation 1189 (1992) on the establishment of an international court to judge war crimes, the Assembly affirms that people responsible for crimes against humanity must be held personally accountable for these crimes ; expulsion of population being considered as a crime against humanity.
7. More than 2 million persons have already been displaced by the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. Many of them will die if they receive no assistance. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and other humanitarian organisations urgently need the additional financial support of Council of Europe member states to help these persons. The Assembly acknowledges the outstanding efforts of states which have already made superhuman efforts to assist refugees, and recommends increasing assistance to these countries. It recalls and supports Lord Owen's statement that refugees would best be helped to remain as close as possible to their homes, and to which their return must be guaranteed as the result of a political solution to the crisis.
8. The Assembly expresses its admiration for the courage and dedication of the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) and the personnel of humanitarian organisations in the field. It particularly condemns all attacks on these persons.
9. Therefore, the Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers :
9.1 take immediate steps to ensure that all Council of Europe member states accept, under the principle of equal burden-sharing, displaced persons who, according to UNHCR, are in urgent need of protection ;
9.2 to ask governments to use the Social Development Fund to assist the displaced persons they receive ;
9.3 suspend, in accordance with Article 8 of the Council of Europe's Statute, the right of representation of any member state which, on the basis of irrefutable evidence, is found to be violating the United Nations embargo against Serbia and Montenegro ;
9.4 ask the United Nations to monitor specifically Council of Europe member states' arms exports.
10. The Assembly reserves the right to exclude national delegations of member states or states whose parliaments enjoy special guest status, if it considers that these states are not enforcing the embargo against Serbia and Montenegro.
