Former Yugoslavia.

• Position: Peacewatch - Cooperation with verification missions of North Atlantic Treaty Organizations and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

The Security Council on 24 October demanded that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) cooperate fully with the verification missions of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), to be established in and over Kosovo, respectively.

In adopting resolution 1203 (1998) by 13 votes to none, with 2 abstentions (China Russian Federation), and acting under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, the Council demanded that both the FRY authorities and the Kosovo Albanians comply fully and swiftly with Council resolution 1160 (1998), banning the sale or supply of arms and materiel to the FRY, including Kosovo, and with resolution 1199 (1998), calling for ah immediate ceasefire in Kosovo and the withdrawal of the FRY security forces from that area.

Also, the Council endorsed and expressed support for the agreements reached with the FRY to establish the OSCE mission to be stationed in Kosovo and the NATO operation to provide air surveillance, both of which were to be in place to verify compliance with resolution 1199 by all concerned in Kosovo.

Stressing the urgent need for the parties to enter into negotiations towards a political solution to the issue of Kosovo, the Council demanded the parties' cooperation with international efforts to improve the humanitarian situation and that they respect the freedom of movement of the OSCE verification mission and other international personnel. In insisting that the Kosovo Albanian leadership condemn all terrorist actions, the Council also demanded that such actions cease immediately.

After the vote, Qin Huasan of China said that, while his country's request for deletion of elements authorizing the use of force of its threat had been accommodated, the resolution still contained some elements beyond the agreements reached, such as invoking Chapter VII.

Peter Burleigh of the United States said the threat of force was key to achieving the OSGE and NATO agreements and in ensuring their full implementation. "We will not tolerate the continued violence that has resulted in nearly a quarter of a million refugees and displaced persons, caused thousands of deaths, and jeopardized the prospects for peace in the wider Balkans", he said.

Sergey Lavrov of the Russian Federation, speaking before the vote, said progress had been made, including the cooperation with the international community of the Serbian authorities and the FRY, and it could not be agreed that...