United Nations Security Council Resolution 1199
Encyclopedia
United Nations
Security Council Resolution
1199, adopted on September 23, 1998, after recalling Resolution 1160
(1998), the Council demanded that the Albanian and Yugoslav parties in Kosovo
end hostilities and observe a ceasefire.
The Security Council was very concerned at the fighting in Kosovo and in particular the indiscriminate use of force by the Serbian security forces and Yugoslav Army, which resulted in the displacement of 230,000 according to the Secretary-General Kofi Annan
. The refugee
s had fled to northern Albania
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
and other Europe
an countries and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) had estimated that 50,000 were without basic amenities. It reaffirmed the right of all refugees to return and noted that there was a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Kosovo and violations of human rights
and international humanitarian law
. At the same time, acts of violence by any party were condemned and acts of terrorism
to further goals, and the Council reaffirmed that the status of Kosovo should include autonomy
and self-administration.
Acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter
, the resolution demanded that all parties in Kosovo and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro
) cease hostilities and maintain a ceasefire
. Both Serbia and Montenegro and the Kosovo Albanian leadership were urged to take immediate steps to improve the humanitarian situation and begin talks to resolve the crisis. The Council then demanded that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia:
end action by security forces that affected the civilian population; allow the presence of international monitors and guarantee their freedom of movement
; facilitate the return of refugees with the UNHCR and International Committee of the Red Cross
and allow humanitarian aid
to reach Kosovo; make rapid progress towards finding a political solution to the situation in Kosovo.
It noted a commitment made by President Milan Milutinović
to use political means to solve the conflict, not use repressive actions against the civilian population, guarantee freedom of movement for international humanitarian organisations and observers and to ensure the safe return of refugees. Meanwhile, the Kosovo Albanian leadership had to condemn terrorism.
The Council welcomed the establishment of the Kosovo Diplomatic Observer Mission and urged states and organisations represented in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to carry out continuous monitoring of the situation in Kosovo. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was reminded that it was responsible for the safety of diplomatic, international and non-governmental humanitarian personnel. Both parties were called upon to co-operate with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
(ICTY) for possible violations and for the need to bring those responsible for the mistreatment of civilians and deliberate destruction of property to justice.
Finally, the Secretary-General was requested to report regularly to the Council on developments in the region and stated that if the current resolution was not complied with, there would be further measures taken to restore peace and security.
China
abstained
from the vote on Resolution 1199, which was approved by the other 14 members of the Council. It stated that the conflict was an internal matter for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and it was acting within its rights.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Security Council Resolution
United Nations Security Council Resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"....
1199, adopted on September 23, 1998, after recalling Resolution 1160
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1160
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1160, adopted on March 31, 1998, after noting the situation in Kosovo, the Council, acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, imposed an arms embargo on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia .Some countries had suggested a comprehensive arms...
(1998), the Council demanded that the Albanian and Yugoslav parties in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
end hostilities and observe a ceasefire.
The Security Council was very concerned at the fighting in Kosovo and in particular the indiscriminate use of force by the Serbian security forces and Yugoslav Army, which resulted in the displacement of 230,000 according to the Secretary-General Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
. The refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s had fled to northern Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and other Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an countries and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to...
(UNHCR) had estimated that 50,000 were without basic amenities. It reaffirmed the right of all refugees to return and noted that there was a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Kosovo and violations of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
and international humanitarian law
International humanitarian law
International humanitarian law , often referred to as the laws of war, the laws and customs of war or the law of armed conflict, is the legal corpus that comprises "the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions, as well as subsequent treaties, case law, and customary international law." It...
. At the same time, acts of violence by any party were condemned and acts of terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
to further goals, and the Council reaffirmed that the status of Kosovo should include autonomy
Autonomy
Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision...
and self-administration.
Acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter
Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter
Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter sets out the UN Security Council's powers to maintain peace. It allows the Council to "determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression" and to take military and nonmilitary action to "restore international peace...
, the resolution demanded that all parties in Kosovo and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro was a country in southeastern Europe, formed from two former republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia : Serbia and Montenegro. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, it was established in 1992 as a federation called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
) cease hostilities and maintain a ceasefire
Ceasefire
A ceasefire is a temporary stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions. Ceasefires may be declared as part of a formal treaty, but they have also been called as part of an informal understanding between opposing forces...
. Both Serbia and Montenegro and the Kosovo Albanian leadership were urged to take immediate steps to improve the humanitarian situation and begin talks to resolve the crisis. The Council then demanded that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia:
end action by security forces that affected the civilian population; allow the presence of international monitors and guarantee their freedom of movement
Freedom of movement
Freedom of movement, mobility rights or the right to travel is a human right concept that the constitutions of numerous states respect...
; facilitate the return of refugees with the UNHCR and International Committee of the Red Cross
International Committee of the Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross is a private humanitarian institution based in Geneva, Switzerland. States parties to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2005, have given the ICRC a mandate to protect the victims of international and...
and allow humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...
to reach Kosovo; make rapid progress towards finding a political solution to the situation in Kosovo.
It noted a commitment made by President Milan Milutinović
Milan Milutinovic
Milan Milutinović is a former President of Serbia. He served as Director of the National Library of Serbia , Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to Greece, Yugoslavia's Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs , and as President of Serbia from 1997 until 2002.After his presidential term...
to use political means to solve the conflict, not use repressive actions against the civilian population, guarantee freedom of movement for international humanitarian organisations and observers and to ensure the safe return of refugees. Meanwhile, the Kosovo Albanian leadership had to condemn terrorism.
The Council welcomed the establishment of the Kosovo Diplomatic Observer Mission and urged states and organisations represented in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to carry out continuous monitoring of the situation in Kosovo. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was reminded that it was responsible for the safety of diplomatic, international and non-governmental humanitarian personnel. Both parties were called upon to co-operate with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
The International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991, more commonly referred to as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia or ICTY, is a...
(ICTY) for possible violations and for the need to bring those responsible for the mistreatment of civilians and deliberate destruction of property to justice.
Finally, the Secretary-General was requested to report regularly to the Council on developments in the region and stated that if the current resolution was not complied with, there would be further measures taken to restore peace and security.
China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
abstained
Abstention
Abstention is a term in election procedure for when a participant in a vote either does not go to vote or, in parliamentary procedure, is present during the vote, but does not cast a ballot. Abstention must be contrasted with "blank vote", in which a voter casts a ballot willfully made invalid by...
from the vote on Resolution 1199, which was approved by the other 14 members of the Council. It stated that the conflict was an internal matter for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and it was acting within its rights.
See also
- Kosovo WarKosovo WarThe term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1101 to 1200 (1997 – 1998)
- Yugoslav WarsYugoslav warsThe Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...