3746th Meeting of Security Council: Croatia

Security Council urges completion of preparations for 13 April elections on Eastern Slavonia, Baranja, Western Sirmium at 3746th meeting.

• Categories: Meetings & Events / Security Council
• Video Length: 00:09:50
• Production Date: 7 March 1997
• Asset Language: Original; English; French; Spanish
• Personal Subject: ZBIGNIEW WLOSOWICZ
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS TRANSITIONAL ADMINISTRATION FOR EASTERN SLAVONIA, BARANJA, AND WESTERN SIRMIUM - UNTAES
• Subject Topical: ELECTIONS; POLITICAL AFFAIRS; POLITICAL PARTICIPATION; POLITICAL REPRESENTATION; SELF-DETERMINATION OF PEOPLES
• Geographic Subject: CROATIA; EASTERN SLAVONIA
• MAMS Id: 2334886
• Parent Id: 845917

Description

Presidential Statement Acknowledges Date As `Realistic', Says Serbs' Best Interest Served by Participation as Equal Citizens

The Security Council this afternoon urged the Government of Croatia to redouble its efforts to ensure completion of the necessary technical preparations for the holding of elections on 13 April in the region of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium.

In a statement read by President Zbigniew Wlosowicz (Poland), the Council acknowledged that 13 April was a realistic date for the holding of free and fair elections and stressed that they would depend on the readiness of the Croatian Government to meet all preconditions, including the issuance of documents, provision of data and timely completion of arrangements required for certification.

The Council underlined that it was in the best interests of the Serb community to collect their citizenship documents and to participate fully in the elections and Croatian political life as equal citizens. Deploring the disruptive activities by some elements of the Serb community, the Council called upon all residents of the region to follow wise leadership and stay in the region as citizens of Croatia.

The Croatian Government was strongly urged to issue, as a gesture towards reassuring the Serb community, formal public confirmation of its oral guarantees to treat all of its citizens equally regardless of their ethnicity in accordance with existing Croatian Constitution and law. The Council also called on the Government to apply its amnesty law fairly and consistently to all persons subject to its jurisdiction.

In addition, the Council stressed the long-term success of peaceful integration will be determined by the commitment of the Government to reconciliation and to ensuring that those Serbs who were currently resident in the region will enjoy equal rights. Concern was expressed that no progress had been made on the future of displaced persons and equal treatment and access to housing, reconstruction grants/loans and property compensation.
The meeting, which began at 1:29 p.m., was adjourned at 1:37 p.m.

For further details please see official record:
S/PV.3746

For further details please see source:
MEETINGS COVERAGE