Press Communiqué M-NAC-1 (95)51 Issued by the North Atlantic Council in Ministerial Session at Noordwijk, The Netherlands 30 May 1995

Statement on the Situation in Former Yugoslavia We regard with the utmost seriousness the further deterioration of the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and condemn the escalation of violence by the parties and the hostile acts against UN personnel. We also condemn in the strongest terms the outrageous behaviour of the Bosnian Serbs in shelling safe areas and killing and seizing UN peacekeepers. We demand that the shelling of safe areas be stopped and that UNPROFOR members and UN observers held hostage by the Bosnian Serbs be released unharmed, unconditionally. We hold the Bosnian Serb leaders fully accountable for their safe return. We pay tribute to the outstanding courage being shown by UNPROFOR and UN personnel in this difficult situation. We stress the importance and urgency of a renewal of the cessation of hostilities agreement and call upon all the parties to the conflict to seek solutions through negotiation rather than war. We strongly support the continued efforts of the international community, including those of the Contact Group, to bring peace to the former Yugoslavia through the diplomatic process. NATO air power remains available to help protect the safe areas and UN Peace Forces, in accordance with existing arrangements with the United Nations. We will continue to enforce the No-Fly Zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina. We will also continue, together with the WEU, the maritime embargo enforcement operations in the Adriatic. We strongly support the continued presence of UN forces in former Yugoslavia, with their safety assured and a strengthened capability to carry out their mission in the pursuit of clear objectives. All parties must ensure that UN troops have freedom of movement and are unharmed, and remove any obstacles to the delivery of humanitarian aid to the needy. We are ready to support efforts towards the reinforcement of UN Peace Forces in former Yugoslavia, with the aim of reducing their vulnerability and strengthening their capability to act and react.