Meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Permanent Session NATO Headquarters, Brussels, 9 Feb. 1994

Decisions taken at the Meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Permanent Session (1) The COUNCIL: expresses its indignation at the indiscriminate attacks which have once again struck the people of Sarajevo in recent days; notes that the siege of Sarajevo is continuing, and that consequently the Bosnian Serbs bear the main responsibility for the tragic loss of civilian life that results from it; reaffirms the Alliance's support for a negotiated settlement of the conflict in Bosnia, agreeable to all parties; recalls that on 11th January 1994, the Heads of State and Government of the members of the Alliance reaffirmed their readiness, in accordance with the Alliance decisions of 2nd and 9th August 1993, to carry out air strikes in order to prevent the strangulation of Sarajevo; commends the European Union Action Plan of 22nd November 1993 to secure a negotiated settlement, and considers, in this context and with regard to UN Security Council Resolutions 824, 836, and 844 that the lifting of the siege of Sarajevo could be a step toward the placing of Sarajevo under UN administration, in conformity with that plan; also commends the current efforts of the UN negotiators toward securing the demilitarization of Sarajevo; condemns the continuing siege of Sarajevo and, with a view to ending it, calls for the withdrawal, or regrouping and placing under UNPROFOR control, within ten days, of heavy weapons (including tanks, artillery pieces, mortars, multiple rocket launchers, missiles and anti-aircraft weapons) of the Bosnian Serb forces located in an area within 20 kilometres of the centre of Sarajevo, and excluding an area within two kilometres of the centre of Pale; calls upon the Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina, within the same period, to place the heavy weapons in its possession within the Sarajevo exclusion zone described above under UNPROFOR control, and to refrain from attacks launched from within the current confrontation lines in the city; calls upon the parties to respect the ceasefire; all concerned should make every effort, during this ten-day period, to achieve by agreement the withdrawal or control of heavy weapons as called for in the preceding paragraphs; failure to reach such an agreement will not result in the extension of this period; authorizes the NATO Military Authorities to support UNPROFOR in carrying out its task of identifying heavy weapons that have not been withdrawn or regrouped in conformity with these decisions; decides that, ten days from 2400 GMT 10th February 1994, heavy weapons of any of the parties found within the Sarajevo exclusion zone, unless controlled by UNPROFOR, will, along with their direct and essential military support facilities, be subject to NATO air strikes which will be conducted in close coordination with the UN Secretary General and will be consistent with the North Atlantic Council's decisions of 2nd and 9th August 1993; accepts, effective today, the request of the UN Secretary General of 6th February and accordingly authorizes the Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe to launch air strikes, at the request of the United Nations, against artillery or mortar positions in or around Sarajevo (including any outside the exclusion zone) which are determined by UNPROFOR to be responsible for attacks against civilian targets in that city; demands strict respect for the safety of UNPROFOR and other UN and relief agency personnel throughout Bosnia-Herzegovina and for the right of free access of all these personnel to Sarajevo; asks the Secretary General to inform the Secretary General of the United Nations of these decisions. Footnote: Greece dissociates her position as indicated in the statement recorded in the minutes.