In June 1991, hostilities broke out in the Yugoslav republic of Slovenia. Despite repeated calls by the international community for the termination of hostilities, the conflict continued and gradually spread. On September 25, 1991, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 713, which urged the parties to end the fighting and seek a peaceful resolution. It also established a general and complete embargo on the delivery of weapons and military equipment to Yugoslavia.
As fighting raged and intensified, the United Nations concluded that a significant and visible UN presence was necessary to protect refugees, provide humanitarian assistance and promote the peaceful resolution of the conflict. Accordingly, the Security Council requested the Secretary-General to establish a UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR) on February 21, 1992. As fighting spread throughout Yugoslavia, UNPROFOR began to operate in more areas. In March 1993, UNPROFOR was divided into three separate missions: UNPROFOR in Bosnia-Herzegovina, UN Confidence Restoration Operation in Croatia (UNCRO) and UN Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP). Following the signing of the Dayton Accords in December 1995, the mandates for UNPROFOR and UNCRO were terminated by the Security Council. A NATO-led Implementation Force (IFOR) took over the mandate from UNPROFOR. In addition, three new missions were established: UN Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH), UN Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES) and UN Mission of Observers in Prevlaka (UNMOP).
UNPROFOR
The first UN peacekeeping operation in the former Yugoslavia was established on February 21, 1992. Security Council resolution 742 authorized the establishment of the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR).
The mandate of UNPROFOR was to ensure the demilitarization of UN Protected Areas. Originally, it was sent to three areas: Eastern Slavonia, Western Slavonia and Krajina. Its mission gradually expanded as the situation in Yugoslavia deteriorated and the conflict spread to other regions including Bosnia-Herzegovina. In Bosnia-Herzegovina, UNPROFOR began providing security for humanitarian assistance and sought to protect citizens and refugees in numerous locations including Sarajevo, Srebrenica, Tuzla, Zepa, Goradzde and Bihac.
On March 31, 1995, the Security Council authorized the establishment of a separate peacekeeping mission for Bosnia-Herzegovina, retaining the name UNPROFOR for its mission. This decision was significant because it resulted in the creation of three separate UN missions throughout the former Yugoslavia: UNPROFOR in Bosnia-Herzegovina, UNCRO in Croatia and UNPREDEP in Macedonia.
In November 1995, the leaders of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia began negotiations in Dayton, Ohio under US auspices to end the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. An agreement was subsequently reached by the parties and was signed on December 14, 1995. Accordingly, on December 15, the Security Council transferred authority from UNPROFOR to the NATO-led Implementation Force (IFOR) and on December 20th, the United Nations flag was lowered from UNPROFOR headquarters in Sarajevo.
UNCRO
On March 31, 1995, the Security Council authorized the establishment of the UN Confidence Restoration Operation in Croatia (UNCRO). Security Council resolution 981 significantly expanded UN operations in Croatia. In establishing UNCRO, the Security Council recognized that large portions of the UN peacekeeping plan for Croatia needed to be implemented.
UNCRO was responsible for implementing the Cease-Fire Agreement of March 29, 1994 between Croatia and local Serb authorities and facilitating the implementation of the Economic Agreement of December 2, 1994. In addition, UNCRO was responsible for monitoring the movement of military personnel and equipment between Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). It was also responsible for facilitating the delivery of international humanitarian assistance to Bosnia-Herzegovina through Croatian territory.
Following the conclusion of the Dayton Accords, the UNCRO mission was terminated by the Security Council on January 15, 1996.
UNPREDEP
On March 31, 1995, the UN Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP) was established in Macedonia. Security Council resolution 983 provided that UNPROFOR units within Macedonia would be henceforth be considered UNPREDEP. Accordingly, all civil and military units of UNPROFOR in Macedonia were transferred to UNPREDEP.
The primary mission of UNPREDEP is to prevent the spread of fighting into Macedonia. Accordingly, it has deployed observers to monitor the border between Macedonia and Serbia.
UNMIBH
On December 21, 1995, the UN Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) was established by the Security Council to implement portions of the Dayton Accords.
The mission consists of three separate operations. First, a civil affairs office serves as the UN contact point with local political representatives. Second, the International Police Task Force (IPTF) assists local law enforcement in maintaining security. Third, the Mine Action Center works with the Bosnian Government to conduct mine clearance operations.
Elements of UNMIBH played an integral role in monitoring elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina in September 1996. These elections were mandated pursuant to the Dayton Accords. IPTF personnel and a large number of IFOR troops supervised the movement of voters around the country.
UNTAES
On January 15, 1996, the UN Transitional Administration for Eastern Slovenia, Baranja, and Western Sirmium (UNTAES) was established. According to Security Council resolution 1037, its mandate is to reintegrate Eastern Slavonia into Croatia pursuant to the Basic Agreement on the Region of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium signed on November 12, 1995 between Croatia and the local Serb authorities.
UNTAES consists of both military and civilian components. The mission of the military component is to supervise demilitarization, monitor the safe return of refugees and displaced persons to their homes, contribute to the maintenance of peace and security in the region and assist in the implementation of the Basic Agreement. The mission of the civilian component is to establish and train a temporary police force and monitor the treatment of offenders and the prison system, carry out civil administration tasks and restore public services, facilitate the return of refugees and displaced persons, organize elections and certify their results and help coordinate plans for the region's development and economic reconstruction.
UNMOP
On February 1, 1996, the UN Mission of Observers in Prevlaka (UNMOP) was established as a separate mission. Prevlaka is a peninsula on the Adriatic Sea which borders Croatia and Montenegro.
Prior to this date, UN military observers had been monitoring the demilitarization of the Prevlaka peninsula according to earlier Security Council resolutions. UNMOP was established to continue monitoring the demilitarization of the Prevlaka peninsula, which remains a tense region of confrontation between Croatia and Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). Its military observers conduct regular patrols on both sides of the border between Croatia and Montenegro.
