Peace agreement concluded: UNOMIL mandate extended.

• Position: UN Observer Mission in Liberia

All the warring factions in Liberia concluded on 21 December in Accra, Ghana, a peace agreement, which calls for a cessation of hostilities as of 28 December, the seating of a new transitional government within two weeks, disarmament of combatants, and the eventual holding of elections.

In a letter to Ghana's President Jerry John Rawlings, the Secretary-General said it was with great satisfaction that he had learned about the conclusion of the "significant" agreement. The letter, made public on 23 December, stated: "This agreement, after long and ardous negotiations, would not have been possible without your personal determination and persistence." He cited Mr. Rawlings' "tireless efforts to seek reconciliation among the people of Liberia, an indispensable prerequisite for the development of peace and stability in the region". The Secretary-General hoped that all Liberian parties would abide by their commitments and that the agreement would "herald an era of peace, national reconciliation and prosperity in Liberia".

On 22 December, it was reported that the UN Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) had about 80 military observers reduced by the Secretary-General, with the Security Council's approval, from an authorized strength of 368 in September, when the situation in the country had so badly deteriorated that they could not effectively carry out their observation functions.

On 21 October, the Security Council extended UNOMIL's mandate until 13 January 1995. It also demanded that all factions strictly respect the status of personnel from the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Observer Group (ECO-MOG) and UNOMIL, and refrain from any violence or intimidation against them.

Widespread killings

In unanimously adopting resolution 950 (1994), the Council condemned the widespread killings of civilians and other violations of international humanitarian law by the factions, and the detention and maltreatment of UNOMIL observers, ECOMOG soldiers, humanitarian relief workers and other international personnel. It demanded that all factions strictly abide by applicable rules of international humanitarian law.

The Council called on all factions to immediately cease hostilities and agree to a timetable for disarmament and demobilization, and further called on the Liberian National Transitional Government (LNTG) and all Liberians to seek political accommodation and national reconciliation. It also called on States to strictly comply with...