Expressing concern at continued acts of harassment, looting and physical attacks against Croatian Serbs, and in particular the involvement in those incidents of military and police officials of the Croatian Government, the Security Council this afternoon called upon that Government to intensify its efforts to improve the security situation for its Serb population, including the urgent re-establishment of a functioning court system in the former sectors North and South.

In a statement read out by its President, Francesco Paolo Fulci (Italy), the Council expressed deep concern that there had been little progress on the issue of the return of Croatian Serb refugees and deplored the Croatian Government's failure to safeguard the property rights of those refugees, especially those unable to regain possession of their properties.

The Council expressed deep concern at reports that Croatia's new amnesty law was not being implemented in a fair and equitable manner. It also stated that it expected Croatia to fully comply with its commitments undertaken in relation to the Council of Europe, including its signature of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

Also by the statement, the Council reiterated its call upon the Government of Croatia to cooperate fully with the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and to investigate serious violations of international humanitarian law, especially those committed in the course of military operations in 1995.

The Council requested that the Secretary-General continue to report to it on the situation, in any case no later than 10 March 1997.

The meeting was called to order at 12:48 p.m. and adjourned at 12:56 p.m.

For further details please see source:
MEETINGS COVERAGE

For further details please see official record:
S/PV.3727

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