Resolution 687: an unprecedented text.

• Position: Cease-fire resolution for the Persian Gulf War

Terms for a formal cease-fire for the Persian Gulf war were set out in the 34 carefully-crafted paragraphs of Security Council resolution 687 (1991), adopted on 3 April, after more than a month of behind-the-scenes negotiations. On 6 April, Iraq officially accepted the terms of the text. In practical terms, the historic nine-part resolution sets out specific conditions by which international peace and security would be restored to the region.

Sponsored by Belgium, France, Romania, the United Kingdom, the United States and Zaire, the text was adopted during a four-and-a-half hour afternoon meeting. The vote was 12 to 1 (Cuba), with 2 abstentions (Ecuador, Yemen).

The Secretary-General established an interdepartmental coordinating group of senior UN officials to supervise the implementation of resolution 687.

By PART A of the resolution, the Council demanded that Iraq and Kuwait respect the inviolability of the 1963 international boundary between the two countries and called upon the Secretary-General to help demarcate that boundary.

Under PART B, it requested him to submit a plan for deploying a UN observer unit to monitor a demilitarized zone, established under the resolution. That deployment would establish the conditions for the withdrawal of allied forces from Iraq.

By PART C, Iraq should accept unconditionally the destruction, removal or rendering harmless of all its chemical and biological weapons and ballistic missiles with a range greater than 150 kilometres. Iraq would submit to the Secretary-General, within 15 days of the resolution's adoption, a declaration of the locations, amounts and types of such weapons.

Further, the Secretary-General would develop a plan for creating a special commission to carry out immediate on-site inspection of Iraq's biological, chemical and missile capabilities. The commission would take possession of all such weapons and missiles from Iraq and supervise their destruction.

Iraq would undertake unconditionally not to use, develop, construct or acquire any biological, chemical or missile capabilities, as well as any nuclear weapons or nuclear-weapons-usable material. The International Atomic Energy Agency would be called on to inspect Iraq's nuclear capabilities and submit to the Council, within 45 days, a plan calling for the destruction, removal or rendering harmless of all such items.

By PART D, the Secretary-General was asked to report to the Council on the steps taken to facilitate the return of all...