United Nations Security Council Resolution 853
Encyclopedia
United Nations
Security Council Resolution
853, adopted unanimously on July 29, 1993, after reaffirming Resolution 822
(1993), the Council expressed its concern at the deteriorating relations between Armenia
and Azerbaijan
and condemned the seizure of the district of Agdam and other areas of Azerbaijan, demanding a complete withdrawal from the areas by Armenians.
The resolution began by demanding an immediate ceasefire
and cessation of hostilities, noting in particular attacks on civilians and bombardments of inhabitied areas, urging unimpeded access for international humanitarian relief efforts in the region. It also called for energy, transport and economic links to be restored as part of this process and urging the Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali
and other international organisations to provide assistance to displaced persons.
Regarding efforts to end the conflict, the Council commended the work of the OSCE Minsk Group
which was under the leadership of Jan Eliasson
, but expressed concern at the disruptive effect the conflict was having on its work. In this regard it urged the parties to refrain from actions that may obstruct a peaceful settlement of the issue and to negotiate within the Minsk Group, welcoming the latter's preparations for a monitoring mission in the region.
The Council asked for the Government of Armenia to exert its influence to achieve compliance by the Armenians of the Nagorno-Karabakh
region in Azerbaijan with Resolution 822, the current resolution and proposals by the Minsk Group. It also called for states to refrain from providing any weapons and munitions which might lead to an intensification of the conflict.
Finally, in the second resolution to consider the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Council requested the Secretary-General, in consultation with the Chairman-in-Office of the CSCE as well as the Chairman of the Minsk Group, to continue to update the Council on developments in the region.
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"....
853, adopted unanimously on July 29, 1993, after reaffirming Resolution 822
United Nations Security Council Resolution 822
United Nations Security Council Resolution 822, adopted unanimously on April 30, 1993, after expressing concern at the deterioration of relations between the Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the subsequent escalation of armed hostilities and humanitarian situation in the region, the Council demanded the...
(1993), the Council expressed its concern at the deteriorating relations between Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
and Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
and condemned the seizure of the district of Agdam and other areas of Azerbaijan, demanding a complete withdrawal from the areas by Armenians.
The resolution began by demanding an immediate 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...
and cessation of hostilities, noting in particular attacks on civilians and bombardments of inhabitied areas, urging unimpeded access for international humanitarian relief efforts in the region. It also called for energy, transport and economic links to be restored as part of this process and urging the Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Boutros Boutros-Ghali is an Egyptian politician and diplomat who was the sixth Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1992 to December 1996...
and other international organisations to provide assistance to displaced persons.
Regarding efforts to end the conflict, the Council commended the work of the OSCE Minsk Group
OSCE Minsk Group
The OSCE Minsk Group was created in 1992 by the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe to encourage a peaceful, negotiated resolution to the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh.-Founding and members:The Helsinki Additional Meeting of the CSCE Council on 24 March...
which was under the leadership of Jan Eliasson
Jan Eliasson
Jan Kenneth Eliasson is a Swedish diplomat and Social Democratic politician.- Biography :Jan Eliasson was born in a working-class family in Gothenburg. He was an AFS exchange student in Indiana, United States, from 1957 to 1958 and was commissioned reserve officer after military training at the...
, but expressed concern at the disruptive effect the conflict was having on its work. In this regard it urged the parties to refrain from actions that may obstruct a peaceful settlement of the issue and to negotiate within the Minsk Group, welcoming the latter's preparations for a monitoring mission in the region.
The Council asked for the Government of Armenia to exert its influence to achieve compliance by the Armenians of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, lying between Lower Karabakh and Zangezur and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains...
region in Azerbaijan with Resolution 822, the current resolution and proposals by the Minsk Group. It also called for states to refrain from providing any weapons and munitions which might lead to an intensification of the conflict.
Finally, in the second resolution to consider the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Council requested the Secretary-General, in consultation with the Chairman-in-Office of the CSCE as well as the Chairman of the Minsk Group, to continue to update the Council on developments in the region.
See also
- 1993 Summer Offensives1993 Summer OffensivesThe 1993 Summer Offensives of the Nagorno-Karabakh War saw the capture of several Azerbaijani regions by Armenian military units in a series of battles from June to August 1993....
- Armenia–Azerbaijan relations
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 801 to 900 (1993 – 1994)
- Nagorno-Karabakh WarNagorno-Karabakh WarThe Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...
- United Nations Security Council resolutions on the Nagorno-Karabakh War