Iran-Iraq ceasefire: UN conducts peace talks in Geneva, New York.

After eight years of fierce and bloody fighting between Iran and Iraq which claimed hundreds

of thousands -of lives, a United Nations-sponsored cease-fire went into effect on 20 August. A first round of direct talks between the two nations began on 25 August at the Palais des Nations in Geneva; a second round, after a month-long hiatus, on 1 October in New York.

The aim: a comprehensive, just and honourable settlement of all outstanding issues.

In August, some 350 blue-helmeted and unarmed UN military observers from 26 countries-a new UN peace-keeping unit known as "UNIIMOG" the United Nations Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group-manned observation posts along the 740-mile border between the two States.

The Security Council on 9 August adopted resolution 619 (1988) unanimously, establishing UNIIMOG for an initial period of six months. The task of the unarmed troops: to supervise the cease-fire and withdrawal of troops to internationally recognized boundaries. Major-General Slavko Jovic of Yugoslavia was named its Chief Military Observer.

At an 8 August Security Council meeting, the Secretary-General announced what he called "DDay" 0300 hours GMT, 20 August-the starting time for the cease-fire. He called upon Iran and Iraq to "discontinue all military action on land, at sea and in the air". He set 25 August as the date to launch peace talks in Geneva. (The Secretary-General's announcement was preceded by talks with the Iranian and Iraqi Foreign Ministers on the implementation of resolution 598

A technical team, headed by Lieutenant-General Martin Vadset, Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), had visited the region from 25 July through 2 August to work out the modalities of a cease-fire.

On 17 August, the General Assembly met in resumed session to approve $35.7 million for the first three months of UNIIMOG operations. Of that, some $20.6 million would come &om permanent Security Council members; $14.1 million from economically developed UN Member States not permanent Council members; the remaining $17,493 from economically less developed Member States. By resolution 42/233, the Assembly also invited voluntary contributions, both in cash and in the form of services and supplies,

The Secretary-General commended the Assembly for dealing quickly with financial arrangements, thus strengthening the process for lasting peace between Iran and Iraq.

It had been estimated that the operation would cost some $74...