Security Council wants end to 'war of cities.' (Iran-Iraq conflict) (includes related articles)Security Council wants end to `war of cities' Iran-Iraq conflict: 8 years old Security Council members have strongly deplored the escalation of hostilities between Iran and Iraq, particularly attacks againts civilian targets and cities that had taken a heavy toll in human lives and had caused vast material destruction, in spite of the belligerent parties' declared readiness to cease such attacks. Their views were set out in a statement read by Council President Dragoslav Pejic of Yugoslavia at a Council meeting held on 16 March after consultations Expressing grave concern that the tragic conflict had entered its eighth year, Council members insisted that the two countries immediately cease all such attacks and other acts that led to the conflict's escalation thereby creating further obstacles to implementing Council resolution 598 (1987) and undermining Council efforts to put an early end to the conflict in accordance with that resolution. (Resolution 598, adopted unanimously by the Council, calls for an immediate cease-fire, an end to all military actions in the region, withdrawal of forces to internationally recognized boundaries, dispatch of a team of United Nations observers to supervise those actions, and consideration of the question of entrusting an impartial body to inquire into responsibility for the conflict.) Council members affirmed their strong commitment to the resolution's implementation "as an integrated whole"--the only basis for a comprehensive, just, honourable and lasting settlement. They encouraged Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar Pé·rez de Cuél·lar , Javier Born 1920. Peruvian diplomat who served as secretary-general of the United Nations (1982-1991). to continue his efforts to secure the resolution's implementation. On 18 March, the Secretary-General invited the Iranian and Iraqi Presidents to send special emissaries to New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of for intensive consultations. He also appealed to both parties to refrain from all acts that could lead to an escalation of the conflict and particularly, to end immediately all military attacks againts civilian targets. On 22 March, he stated that he was appalled at the sharp escalation in the conflict, including another Iranian incursion in·cur·sion n. 1. An aggressive entrance into foreign territory; a raid or invasion. 2. The act of entering another's territory or domain. 3. into Iraq, the continuing "war of the cities", and allegations of Iraq's use of chemical weapons. On 28 March, Iraq asked the Secretary-General to send a mission to investigate the situation of Iraqi prisoners of war prisoners of war, in international law, persons captured by a belligerent while fighting in the military. International law includes rules on the treatment of prisoners of war but extends protection only to combatants. in Iran, including the fate of 20,000 not registered with the International Committee of the Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a private humanitarian institution based in Geneva, Switzerland. (ICRC ICRC abbr. International Committee of the Red Cross ICRC n abbr (= International Committee of the Red Cross) → CICR m ICRC n abbr ). Chemical attacks investigated Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar sent a two-man team to Teheran and Baghdad in late March and early April to examine victims of alleged chemical attacks. Iran reported the deaths of 5,000 people and the serious infection or injury of an additional 5,000 as a result of Iraqi use of chemical weapons. Iraq accused Iran of using chemical agents to bombard bom·bard tr.v. bom·bard·ed, bom·bard·ing, bom·bards 1. To attack with bombs, shells, or missiles. 2. To assail persistently, as with requests. See Synonyms at attack, barrage2. 3. Iraqi troops in the Halabjah sector, injuring 88 Iraqi soldiers. The fact-finding mission consisted of Dr. Manuel Dominguez, Colonel, Spanish Army Medical Corps, specialist in nuclear, biological and chemical weapons injuries, and Professor of Preventive Medicine preventive medicine, branch of medicine dealing with the prevention of disease and the maintenance of good health practices. Until recently preventive medicine was largely the domain of the U.S. at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid; and James Holger of Chile, who had been the Acting Representative of the Secretary-General in Cyprus. Attacks on ships in Gulf continue Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar has expressed deep concern about continuing attacks on merchant vessels in the Gulf. In a report to the Security Council in early 1988, he said that some 161 attacks in 1987--an increase of more than 50 per cent over 1986--had had "devastating dev·as·tate tr.v. dev·as·tat·ed, dev·as·tat·ing, dev·as·tates 1. To lay waste; destroy. 2. To overwhelm; confound; stun: was devastated by the rude remark. effects" on the shipping industry. Mr. Perez de Cuellar strongly called on Iran and Iraq to exercise utmost restraint and end incidents causing loss of innocent lives and exacerbating tension in the region. Those deplorable actions underlined the urgency of upholding the principle of freedom of navigation The United States' Freedom of Navigation program challenges territorial claims on the world's oceans and airspace that are considered excessive by the United States, using diplomatic protests and/or by interference. in international waters, the Secretary-General asserted. The Secretary-General also met on 4 February with a delegation of the International Transport Federation (ITF ITF International Transport Workers' Federation ITF International Tennis Federation ITF In the Future ITF International Trust Fund (demining NGO based in Slovenia) ITF International Transport Forum ) to discuss the situation in the Gulf, which expressed support for his efforts. |
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