Security Council ready to consider new peace-keeping effort.

• Position: United Nations relations with former Soviet Republics

The Security Council on 26 April - in reiterating full support for the efforts of the Co-Chairmen of the Minsk Conference of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) - confirmed its readiness to provide "continuing political support, inter alia, through an appropriate resolution regarding the possible deployment of a multinational OSCE peace-keeping force" following the parties' agreement for cessation of the armed conflict around Nagorny Karabakh.

In a statement by its President Karel Kovanda of the Czech Republic, the Council also expressed concern at "recent violent incidents" on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and along the line of contact.

It urged the parties to take "all necessary measures to prevent such incidents in future", and refrain from "any actions that may undermine the peace process". The urgency of the implementation of confidence-building measures, particularly in the humanitarian field; was also stressed.

Talks continue

The cease-fire in Nagorny Karabakh - a mostly Armenian-populated area in Azerbaijan - was still in effect, thanks to the restraint shown by the parties to the conflict for more than 13 months, it was reported in early July.

Heikki Taivitie and Valentin Lozinsky, Co-Chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Conference, said (S/1995/558) that two rounds of talks aimed at a political agreement on the cessation of the armed conflict had taken place in Moscow in May and in Helsinki in June. The parties had discussed issues of key importance to the comprehensive setlement of the conflict "in a businesslike atmosphere", they said.

The Co-chairmen appealed to them to continue talks "without preconditions and linkages with other questions", demonstrate "perseverance in overcoming difficulties", and ensure "stability and irreversibility" of negotiations, bearing in mind the crucial importance of the political agreement for the world community's assistance in the conflict resolution, particularly, for the deployment of the multinational OCSE peace-keeping operation.

In connection with the first anniversary of the 12 May 1994 cease-fire, Armenia had released and repatriated all prisoners and detainees to Baku, the Co-Chairmen reported, and Azerbaijan responded with a reciprocal move. The Minsk Group States had called on the parties to declare an amnesty for those who participated in the armed conflict.

"Though the guns of the conflicting parties are now silent, more than 1 million refugees and...