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 million for the first six months, to be paid by UN Member States, on a sliding scale, under a Special Account.

On 1 September, the SecretaryGeneral named Jan K. Eliasson, Permanent Representative of Sweden to the United Nations in New York, as his Personal Representative on issues pertaining to the implementation of resolution 598. Mr. Eliasson had accompanied the late Prime Minister of Sweden, Olof Palme, on missions to Iran and Iraq on behalf of the United Nations from 1980 to 1986.

On 28 September, the SecretaryGeneral briefed the Foreign Ministers of the five permanent members of the Security Council on the ongoing peace process, after which the Ministers-from China, France, United Kingdom, USSR and United States-expressed their conviction that the parties now had before them "the opportunity to reach a comprehensive, just and honourable and durable peace", and urged "substantive and continuous talks".

Details of new force

The Secretary-General reported (SI20093) that the force would need up to 350 military observers, as well as military support staff and air and naval units. It would investigate violations and try to prevent, through negotiation, any change in the status quo after the two sides had withdrawn to the internationally recognized boundaries.

The force would also try to obtain the agreement of the parties to other arrangements to reduce tension and build confidence, until a comprehensive settlement could be reached.

UNIIMOG would have two headquarters-in Teheran and in Baghdad. Switzerland had put at the force's disposal a 'Jet Stream 31" to be used for transportation between the two capitals.

The 26 nations contributing troops to the force are: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ghana, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Poland, Senegal, Sweden, Turkey, Uruguay, Yugoslavia and Zambia.

How It All Happened

The immediate events leading to the cease-fire and peace talks began on 17 July when Iranian President Seyed Ali Khamenei wrote to UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar that his nation would accept Security Council resolution 598 (1987).

It was that text, adopted unanimously on 20 July 1987, which had outlined a peace plan for the region: a cease-fire, an end to all military actions in the region, withdrawal of forces to internationally recognized boundaries, dispatch of a team of UN observers to supervise those actions, and consideration of the question of entrusting an impartial body to inquire into responsibility for the conflict.

Iran said it accepted resolution 598 "because of the importance it attaches to saving the lives of human beings and the establishment of justice and regional and international peace and security". The "fire of the war" which Iran said Iraq had started on 22 September 1980, had "gained unprecedented dimensions," Iran stated, bringing other countries into the war and even engulfing innocent civilians, referring to the deaths of 290 persons in an Iranian aircraft shot down by an American warship in the Persian Gulf in July (see story, p. 26). Iran until 17 July had not formally agreed to accept resolution 598, objecting to what it felt was one-sided treatment of the issues by the Council. Iraq had accepted resolution 598 on 23 July 1987.

On 19 July, Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz in a statement made available to the UN said that while his country was "wary" of Iran's intentions, nevertheless it approached the new development "with open minds". Iraq would "not have any truck with any partial measures that do not lead surely and within a clear, sound and agreed plan, to a comprehensive and lasting peace", he said. Approaching resolution 598 "in good will and in accordancewith the sequence of its operative paragraphs" would be "the serious way" to achieve ultimately a lasting peace accord.

Security Council members and the Secretary-General on 19 July urged both sides to exercise maximum restraint, Mr. Perez de Cuellar asking that they refrain from any act that might endanger his effort and exacerbate the situation.

The Secretary-General began preliminary discussions leading to the cease-fire with the Foreign Ministers of Iran and Iraq on 26 July at Headquarters, concurrently with the visit of the UN technical team to the region.

'A serious beginning

The first round of direct talks in Geneva marked "a serious beginning", Mn Perez de Cuellar said. The problems being discussed had lasted many years, and could not be resolved overnight, he said. On 28 August, he reported "unexpected difficulties" over withdrawal of forces to the internationally recognized boundaries.

Iran wanted to finalize a timetable for implementing the remaining elements of resolution 598, claiming Iraq was raising new pre-conditions, including the "clearing" of the Shatt al-Arab waterway. Iran also said the 1975 Algiers border agreement between Iran and Iraq could not be unilaterally abrogated.

Iraq said freedom of navigation and the clearing of Shatt al-Arab were two "essential and substantive" issues to be agreed upon, calling Iran's position on the cease-fire at sea and on freedom of navigation "vague". The Shatt alArab waterway, it was stressed, was Iraq's only outlet to the sea.

On 13 September, Mr. Eliasson had a joint meeting with the Iranian and Iraqi Foreign Ministers. He continued to hold informal contacts with both delegations on how to proceed so that progress could be achieved.

Talks resumed in New York on 30 September, with the SecretaryGeneral meeting with the two Foreign Ministers separately. On I October, direct talks were resumed, with Mr. Perez de Cuellar meeting jointly with the two representatives.

Background

Shortly after the outbreak of the war in September 1980, the UN Secretary-General offers his good offices to both sides to help settle the conflict. He calls the attention of the Security Council to the war, invoking article 99 of the Charter

On 28 September 1980, the Security Council adopts resolution 479, calling for a settlement of the dispute and supporting the Secretary-General's offer to mediate.

In November 1980, Swedish Prime Minister Palme is named Special Representative and visits the area for the first time in that capacity.

During 1981 and 1982, talks continue and some prisoners of war are exchanged. The Security Council on 12 July 1982 adopts resolution 514 (1982) calling for a cease-fire, withdrawal of troops to international boundaries and dispatch of UN observers to the area. On 4 October, it adopts resolution 522, reaffirming provisions of resolution 514.

Between 1982 and 1987, the General Assembly also adopts resolutions supporting the peace efforts and calling for a cease-fire.

In 1989, the UN sends the first of a number of special missions to the area to inspect alleged military attacks against civilian areas. Later, other missions investigate alleged use of chemical weapons and the situation of prisoners of wan

On 31 October, the Security Council adopts resolution 540 calling for an end to military operations against civilian targets and affirming the right of free navigation in the Gulf

On 1 June 1984, the Security Council adopts resolution 552 asking for respect for the right of free navigation and an end to attacks on commercial ships. In the same month, a truce is started in the so-called "war of the cities" that lasts nine months.

In March 1985, the SecretaryGeneral presents representatives of Iran and Iraq with an eightpoint peace plan; the following month he personally visits Teheran and Baghdad to continue discussions.

On 24 February 1986, the Security Council adopts resolution 582, deploring the initial acts that caused the war and reaffirming its call for a cease-fire and troop withdrawal to international borders.

In resolution 588, adopted on 8 October, the Council asks for implementation of resolution 582.

Following intensified diplomatic activity, including that by the five permanent members of the Security Council, the Council on 20 July 1987, adopts resolution 598, which becomes the framework for reaching the cease-fire agreement in 1988. The Council on 9 May 1988 adopts resolution 612 stating its dismay at the use of chemical weapons on a scale more intensive than ever before.