Seeking a new order through violence?

History had moved on, Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghaii told the Academy of Sciences in Belarus on 6 April, while on an official visit to that country. "Peoples and nations are seeking, too often with violence, to reconnect with their interrupted history. Today, the order and peace of States is being challenged in more places, and in more ways, than in the days of the cold war," he stressed. His statement reflected the situations in some former Soviet republics--particularly Azerbaijan, Armenia and Tajikistan--which continued to be monitored by the UN throughout April, May and June.

During his stay in Minsk--the capital of Belarus and the seat of the secretariat of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), a loose association of 12 former Soviet republics--Mr. Boutros-Ghali met with the Head of State of Belarus, Miacheslav I. Grib, and other top officials.

Among the subjects discussed were: disarmament and conversion: cooperation between the UN and the CIS in the area of peace-keeping; the situation in the Baltic States; difficulties of economies in transition; and consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe.

Tajikistan

A definition of the notion of a ceasefire and cessation of hostile acts was elaborated and agreed upon by the Government of Tajikistan and the opposition at the second round of negotiations on national reconciliation 18-28 June, Teheran).

Held under UN auspices and led by Ramiro Piriz-Ballon, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Tajikistan, the talks were attended by observers from Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyztan, the Russian Federation, Iran, Pakistan and the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE).

Nevertheless, divergences on the entry into force of a possible ceasefire agreement had made it "impossible to conclude the work successfully during this round", the Secretary-General reported on 30 June.

Realizing their responsibility for the fate of the Tajik people, the parties reaffirmed their commitment to the political dialogue as the only means of achieving national reconciliation".

A first round (5-19 April, Moscow) had been "encouraging and met my expectations", the Secretary-General reported (S/1994/542) on 5 May The agreement on a comprehensive agenda for the negotiations--a political settlement, solutions to the problem of refugees and internally displaced persons, and "fundamental institutional issues and consolidation of the statehood of Tajikistan"--as well as the signing of a number of documents, constituted the "first step towards building confidence between the Tajik parties", he stated.

It would be "important to capitalize on the momentum achieved in Moscow and to make political dialogue irreversible", the Secretary-General stressed.

A consolidated inter-agency Appeal for $37.8 million for Tajikistan, was launched on 6 April.

Armenia/Azerbaijan

Reaffirming their support for the CSCE mediation efforts in achieving a peaceful settlement of the conflict "in and around the Nagorny Karabakh region of the Azerbaijani Republic"--an Armenian-populated enclave--security Council members on 17 June thanked Jn Eliasson, Chairman of the CSCE Minsk Conference and Minsk Group, for his 9 June report on those efforts.

Mr. Eliasson had informed the Council (S/1994/687) that a 12 May ceasefire, although fragile, was "largely being respected". The CSCE and the Russian Federation had held several rounds of consultations to further integrate their mediation efforts, and had elaborated a draft agreement to consolidate the cease-fire-foreseeing, among other things, deployment of monitors from the CSCE, including the Russian Federation andlor the CIS-A proposal "accepted in principle by the parties", he said. On 27 May, Azerbaijan informed the Security Council (S/1994/635) that it had signed the agreement, but stated that the Armenian side thus far has not consented to sign".

On the other hand, Mr. Eliasson reported, recent military activities had resulted in up to 50,000 more refugees and displaced persons, adding to the already existing 1 million. All concerned must take concrete steps to achieve a solution to "this tragic conflict", Mr. Eliasson stated. The "historic opportunity" now at hand "must not be missed", he stressed.

Chernobyl safety

Although there was no "simple one-step solution" to the safety situation at Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear power station--site of the disastrous nuclear accident in 1986--its operation should be "discontinued" as soon as conditions allow, according to a majority of experts at a special meeting (21 and 22 April, Vienna) convened at the international Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters.

Citing economic difficulties and energy shortages, Ukrainian officials declared, however, that nuclear power was essential in their energy planning, believing that the Chernobyl station could be upgraded to a "level no less safe" than other currently operating similar reactors, provided financial assistance was forthcoming.

Morris Rosen, Assistant Director-General of the IAEA, called the Chernobyl situation "unique". For several years, he said, the station would be at a lower level of safety, and Ukraine's economic problems would adversely affect spare parts availability and procurement of modern equipment. One former unit was encased in a deteriorating shelter and the remaining units would be operating in an "environment of elevated radiation levels", he said.

RELATED ARTICLE: Georgia Mission mandate extended

An extension of the mandate of the 55-strong UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) until 21 July 1994--"within which period the further expansion of UNOMIG" would be addressed--was approved by the Security Council on 30 June.

By unanimously adopting resolution 934 (1994), the Council also noted with satisfaction the "beginning of Commonwealth of independent States (CIS) assistance in the zone of conflict", in response to the request of the parties, on the basis of the 14 May 1994 Agreement on a Cease-fire and Separation of Forces.

The Secretary-General was asked to report on the outcome of discussions among UNOMIG, the Georgian and Abkhaz sides, and the CIS peacekeeping force, designed to reach an agreement on the arrangements on the ground for coordination between an expanded UNOMIG and the CIS peace-keeping force.

Established under Council resolution 858 (1993) of 24 August 1993, UNOMIG was originally intended to verify the 27 July 1993 cease-fire agreement between Georgia and the forces in Abkhazia--a Black Sea region attempting to secede from Georgia. That agreement was subsequently broken by the Abkhaz offensive on 16 September 1993.

A `matter of urgency'

In the 14 May cease-fire, both parties agreed that a CIS peacekeeping force should be deployed to monitor compliance with the accord, the Secretary-General had reported (S/1994/725) on 16 June.

They had appealed to the Security Council to expand UNOMIG's mandate "to provide for their participation in the operations", he stated in an earlier report of 6 June (S/1994/529/Add. 1).

An expanded UNOMIG could: monitor implementation of the agreement and observe the operation of the CIS peace-keeping force; investigate accord violations; maintain close contacts with both sides and the CIS force, and contribute to conditions conducive to the safe and orderly return of refugees and displaced persons"; and report on any developments relevant to UN efforts to promote a comprehensive political settlement.

Earlier, on 3 May, the Secretary-General had indicated that a large-scale return of refugees would "not take place until an international military presence is deployed" in parts of Abkhazia to which they would be returning. "Without such an international presence they will not trust the Abkhaz authorities' readiness or ability to ensure their security", he stated.