We place great value on our consultations on regional security issues. Regional tensions, conflicts and ethnic violence represent a danger to the current process of democratic transition in Europe. We reject territorial gains and faits accomplis through the use of force. Only solutions achieved through negotiation or by other peaceful means, consistent with the provisions of the UN Charter, can provide the basis for lasting settlements. We support the efforts of the UN and the CSCE in this respect. In order to contribute more effectively, we are determined to enhance our consultations on political and security issues and on ways towards solving them.
We are appalled by the crisis in the former Yugoslavia and in
particular by the war in Bosnia-Hercegovina.
Despite all efforts to reach a peaceful settlement, the conflict and killing continue. We urgently call again on all parties to stop the fighting and to open the way for peace. We condemn the practice of "ethnic cleansing" and other atrocities which continue in Bosnia-Hercegovina and others parts of the former Yugoslavia. We will continue to press for an end to violence and brutal repression and for restoration of and respect for the human rights of all people of former Yugoslavia. War crimes will be brought to the International War Crimes Tribunal established by the UN.
We call on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) and also Croatia to stop any kind of encouragement of any action directed against the fully sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of the Republic of Bosnia-Hercegovina. Implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions, designed to restore peace in former Yugoslavia, is essential.
We also welcome the measures set forth in the Joint Action Programme on Bosnia-Hercegovina adopted in Washington D.C. on 22 May 1993. These are temporary measures leading towards the goal of achieving a peaceful and fair resolution to the conflict through implementation of the negotiated settlement based on the principles of the Vance-Owen plan. We wish to see them rapidly implemented. In this connection, we commend NATO's decision yesterday to offer in response to UNSC Resolution 836 and the expanded UNPROFOR mandate related to safe areas its protective airpower in case of attack against UNPROFOR in the performance of its overall mandate, if it so requests. Full respect for safe areas as provided for in UNSCR 824 and 836 and for all humanitarian relief efforts is essential. It continues to be important to put pressure on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) and on the Bosnian Serbs, through strict implementation of the UN sanctions and other measures.
We demand that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) apply rigorously their announced prohibition on all non-humanitarian supplies to the Bosnian Serbs and support international monitoring of this. We also support such monitoring on the Croatia/Bosnia-Hercegovina border.
We are deeply concerned by the increasing danger of spillover of the conflict, in particular into Kosovo but also into the Sandjak and Vojvodina. We are also concerned about spillover of the conflict into neighbouring countries. It must be understood by all concerned that spillover of the conflict would have grave consequences. We support the enhancement of preventive steps against spillover by the UN and CSCE and, in this connection, support an increase in the number of monitors, particularly in Kosovo. We also welcome the US offer of troops to augment the UN contingent already in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
Many of us are co-operating directly in operations to implement Resolutions of the United Nations Security Council in respect of the conflict in former Yugoslavia. We reaffirm the importance of that co-operation and our determination to continue our joint efforts in support of the UN. We discussed the concerns of some of those directly involved that their co-operation in such operations has increased the potential risk to their security. We emphasise that the security of all states in Europe is linked and that, were any country to suffer aggressive action because of its involvement in UN operations in former Yugoslavia, this would be a matter which the international community should consider with the utmost seriousness.
Deeply regretting the loss of life among the members of UNPROFOR, UNHCR and voluntary relief organizations delivering humanitarian assistance to Bosnia-Hercegovina, we urge all parties to the conflict to take urgent measures in order to guarantee the safety of these personnel.
The plan for a CSCE Conference on Nagorno-Karabakh in Minsk continues to offer the best chance of finding a lasting solution to that conflict and of establishing good neighbourly relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.We strongly support UNSCR 822 which must be implemented fully and without delay by all countries and parties to the conflict.We call for the immediate cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal of all occupying forces from the Kelbadzhar and other recently occupied districts of Azerbaijan, unimpeded access for international humanitarian relief efforts, the creation of the necessary conditions for the return of displaced civilians to their homes and resumption of negotiations.We support the initiative of the Chairman of the CSCE Minsk Group, aimed at the implementation of a peace plan within the framework of the Minsk process, and urge the parties to accept it.
We appeal to the parties concerned to respect an effective ceasefire in the Abkhazian Autonomous Republic of Georgia and refrain from all actions which could complicate constructive dialogue and achievement of a durable settlement.We call on them to work together with the CSCE and UN Secretary General's representatives to this end.We believe it is also important to pursue a full settlement of Georgian-Ossetian relations in the zone of conflict in Georgia.
We urge the parties involved in the continuing political and armed confrontation in Tajikistan to settle their differences through dialogue and to work together for the peaceful and democratic development of their country. We support the efforts of the international community in this regard.
We welcome the stabilisation of the situation in the left bank Dniester area of Moldova following the agreement reached on 21 July 1992. A permanent settlement, however, is essential. We welcome all efforts to reach a lasting solution, in particular through the direct dialogue established between the parties to the conflict, and urge all parties to cooperate with the CSCE mission to Moldova. We support the early and complete withdrawal of foreign troops from Moldova in the context of appropriate bilateral agreements without linkage to other issues.