UNIIMOG mandate renewed, troop withdrawals welcomed.

UNIIMOG mandate renewed, troop withdrawals welcomed

The Security Council on 27 September renewed the mandate of the United Nations Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group (UNIIMOG) until 30 November. In unanimously adopting resolution 671 (1990), the Council also asked the Secretary-General to report before that date on his consultations with the parties involved about UNIIMOD's future and his recommendations on that matter.

On 21 September, Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar reported (S/21803) that the withdrawal of Iraqi forces to the borders internationally recognized in the 1975 Treaty concerning the State Frontier and Neighbourly Relations between Iran and Iraq was a "welcome development". It constituted a major step towards the full implementation of Security Council resolution 598 (1987).

Resolution 598, adopted unanimously on 20 July 1987, calls inter alia for a cease-fire between Iran and Iraq; an end to all military actions on land, at sea and in the air; withdrawal of forces to internationally recognized boundaries; dispatch of a team of UN observers to supervise those actions; and release and repatriation of prisoners of war.

Except for a few locations where, in UNIIMOG's view, the forces of each side remained on the wrong side of the border as provided for in the 1975 Treaty, the withdrawal was nearly completed by 21 August, it was reported. Both sides assured UNIIMOG of their determination not to occupy any part of the other's territory and both Governments sent survey teams, which were currently visiting the entire length of the internationally recognized boundaries.

Iraq began its withdrawal on 17 August, the Secretary-General reported. Since then, UNIIMOG's task has been primarily to monitor that withdrawal. Repatriation of prisoners of war held by each side had also begun.

The Observer Group was established on 9 August 1988 to supervise the UN-sponsored ceasefire and troop withdrawals. It consists of some 400 personnel from 25 countries; its comander is Major-General Slavko Jovic, a national of Yugoslavia.

Since the start of withdrawal, a general calm had prevailed along the boundaries. UNIIMOG was in the process of recording the new positions occupied on both sides of the internationally recognized boundaries in order to ensure that it would be able to continue to monitor the cease-fire in the post-withdrawal period, Mr. Perez de Cuellar reported.

UNIIMOG would continue to verify, confirm and supervise the remaining stages of the withdrawal; help the parties resolve any local tensions that might arise; and assist the parties in establishing an area of separation--an area on either side of the border into which each party would agree not to deploy military forces. The principle of such an area of separation had already been accepted by one of the parties and was under study by the other.

Only about 60 per cent of the total number of military observers would be required to perform those tasks. tasks.

The Secretary-General informed the Council that he would be reporting separately on his efforts to bring about full implementation of resolution 598 after further contacts with the parties.