Chapter V Europe and the Mediterranean The restoration of peace and stability in the post- (Moscow Agreement), and Georgia demanded the conflict countries in the European and Mediter- withdrawal of Russian peacekeeping forces from the ranean region advanced in 2007, as efforts to re- conflict zone. Compliance with the Moscow Agree- establish their institutions and social and economic ment and with Security Council resolutions 858(1993) infrastructure continued. However, a number of and 937(1994) was monitored by the United Nations issues remained unresolved. Observer Mission in Georgia (unomig) and by a col- Led by the European Union (eu), the international lective peacekeeping force of the Commonwealth of community continued to assist Bosnia and Herze- Independent States. govina to move towards full integration into Europe No progress was made towards settling the conflict through the eu Stabilization and Association Process. between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the occupied Bosnia and Herzegovina signed a security agreement Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan. In July, with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (nato), Nagorno-Karabakh held presidential elections, the but the country was not successful in securing a Sta- results of which were rejected by Azerbaijan, several bilization and Association Agreement with the eu. neighbouring States, the eu, the Organization of the In Kosovo (Serbia), the United Nations Interim Islamic Conference and the Organization for Security Administration Mission in Kosovo (unmik) contin- and Cooperation in Europe, and its status remained ued to assist in the building of a modern, multi- uncertain at year’s end. ethnic society. In March, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the future status of Kosovo pre- Similarly, no progress was made towards settling sented the Secretary-General with his proposal on the conflict with regard to the Transnistrian region Kosovo’s future status. Having taken into account of Moldova. In September, Moldova informed the the negotiations with the parties, the Special Envoy Secretary-General that the situation in the country’s came to the conclusion that the only viable option security zone had deteriorated. for Kosovo was independence, to be supervised for The Organization for Democracy and Economic an initial period by the international community. Development (guam)–area countries (Georgia, The Secretary-General supported those recommen- Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova) transmitted to dations. In April, the Security Council undertook the Secretary-General a number of communications its first mission to Kosovo and Belgrade since 2002. by guam member States regarding the contentious In August, the “Troika”, composed of representa- local and parliamentary elections in Abkhazia, Geor- tives of the eu, the Russian Federation and the gia, which took place in February and March; the United States, was established to lead a period of contested presidential elections held in July in the further negotiations on the future status of Kosovo. Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan; and docu- It presented its report in December. In November, ments adopted at the guam Summit in Azerbaijan. elections were held for the Assembly of Kosovo, in- cluding 30 municipal assemblies. In the Mediterranean, the situation in Cyprus re- mained unresolved and efforts were focused on as- Renewed efforts were made to end the stalemate in the Georgian Abkhaz peace process. Senior offi- sisting the two sides in implementing the 8 July 2006 cials of the Group of Friends of the Secretary-General Agreement. The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot (France, Germany, Russian Federation, United King- leaders met in September and each side presented sets dom, United States) continued to encourage dialogue of proposals on confidence-building measures to the on the basis of the 2001 Basic Principles for the Dis- Secretary-General. However, mutual recriminations tribution of Competencies between Tbilisi (the Geor- persisted and serious tensions continued to exist be- gian Government) and Sukhumi (the Abkhaz leader- tween the two Cypriot communities. The United ship). A difficult and complex situation prevailed on Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus continued to the ground, however, with tensions increasing early cooperate with its UN partners and the two com- in the year in the Gali and Zugdidi sector, as well munities to facilitate projects of benefit to Greek and as in the upper Kodori Valley. Abkhaz authorities Turkish Cypriots in the buffer zone and to advance claimed that Georgian forces had violated the 1994 towards the goal of restoring normal conditions and Agreement on a Ceasefire and Separation of Forces humanitarian functions in Cyprus. 388 Europe and the Mediterranean 389 and Association Agreement with the eu, lack of progress Bosnia and Herzegovina on key eu requirements prevented its signing. The eufor mission was reconfigured, with its In 2007, the European Union (eu) continued to headquarters in Sarajevo and liaison teams deployed lead the international community’s efforts to assist the throughout the country, and a new troop level of 2,500 two entities comprising the Republic of Bosnia and troops, backed by over-the-horizon reserves. Herzegovina—the Federation of Bosnia and Herze- govina (where mainly Bosnian Muslims (Bosniacs) and Bosnian Croats resided) and the Republika Srpska Implementation of Peace Agreement (where mostly Bosnian Serbs resided)—in implement- ing the 1995 General Framework Agreement for Peace Civilian aspects in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the annexes thereto The civilian aspects of the 1995 Peace Agreement (the Peace Agreement) [YUN 1995, p. 544]. Those efforts were accomplished through the activities of the Office entailed a wide range of activities, including the provi- of the High Representative for the Implementation of sion of humanitarian aid and resources for infrastruc- the Peace Agreement, responsible for the Agreement’s ture rehabilitation, the establishment of political and constitutional institutions, the promotion of respect civilian aspects [YUN 1996, p. 293], and the European Union Police Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina for human rights and the holding of free and fair elec- (eupm), responsible for helping to develop sustainable tions. The High Representative for Bosnia and Herze- policing arrangements. Theeu Force (eufor) mission govina, who chaired the pic Steering Board and other executed the responsibilities for the Agreement’s mili- key implementation bodies, was the final authority with regard to implementing the civilian aspects of tary aspects, which were transferred to it by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (nato) in December the Peace Agreement [YUN 1995, p. 547]. The reports on eupm activities were submitted by the High Rep- 2004 . The Peace Implementation [YUN 2004, p. 401] resentative to the Security Council President through Council (pic) and its Steering Board continued to over- the Secretary-General. see and facilitate the Agreement’s implementation. The High Representative reported on progress made Office of High Representative in the Agreement’s implementation and related politi- cal developments in the country during the year in the Reports of High Representative. The High Rep- context of his mission implementation plan, which set resentative, Christian Schwarz-Schilling (Germany), out a number of core tasks to be accomplished [YUN reported to the Security Council in May, through 2003, p. 401]. Following the October 2006 elections the Secretary-General, on the peace implementation [YUN 2006, p. 455], efforts to form new governments process for the period 1 July 2006 to 31 March 2007 at the State, entity and cantonal levels were completed [S/2007/253]. by the end of March, except in three cantons. How- On 29 June, by resolution 1764(2007) (see p. 390), ever, the February ruling of the International Court the Council welcomed the pic Steering Board’s 19 June of Justice on the case regarding violation of the 1948 decision to appoint Miroslav Lajčák (Slovakia) to suc- Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the ceed Christian Schwarz-Schilling as the High Repre- Crime of Genocide raised the issue of constitutional sentative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, effective 2 July. reform once again. Bosnia and Herzegovina undertook The new High Representative reported to the a number of reforms, particularly in areas of refugee re- Council, through the Secretary-General, on the peace turn, the rule of law, police restructuring, defence and implementation process for the periods 1 April to 30 economic development, in accordance with European September 2007 S/2007/651 and 1 October 2007 to 31 standards. Political leaders signed, on 28 October, the [ ] March 2008 S/2008/300 . Mostar Declaration on honouring their commitment [ ] to police reform and agreed on a two-phase Action The Council considered the reports of the High Plan for its implementation. Work towards full inte- Representative on 16 May [meeting 5675] and 21 No- gration into Europe through the eu Stabilization and vember [meeting 5782]. It also heard a briefing by the Association Process and nato Partnership for Peace High Representative in a closed session [meeting 5780] requirements continued. ���������������������������In March, Bosnia and Herze- held on 15 November [S/ PV.5780]. govina signed a nato security agreement that defined In 2007, the pic Steering Board continued to con- parameters for the exchange of information between sider its decision [YUN 2006,