Achievements

The IFOR mission has been successful since its very early stages and substantial compliance with the Peace Agreement (PA) has been monitored.

In particular:

• Joint Military Commissions were established immediately and have been very effective in allowing proper exchange of information among all concerned parties.
• No significant military activity has been conducted by the Parties throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• IFOR has been granted the requested freedom of movement.
• Air defence radars were shut down.
• Negotiations began -- under the auspices of the OSCE -- to discuss confidence-building and arms reductions issues.
• Parties have complied with IFOR instructions to vacate selected positions along the confrontation line in the Sarajevo area.
• Within the prescribed 30 days from the transfer of authority (TOA, on December 20, 1995) from UNPF to IFOR, further progress had been made in meeting the compliance terms; in particular, with reference to the requirement to withdraw the forces from the zones of separation, despite some local problems of shortage of fuel and mechanical difficulties. Some weapons and ammunition which it had not been possible to remove were eventually destroyed by IFOR. Concern remained about some foreign forces remaining in the theatre and about prisoner release, which was at the time the only act of deliberate non-compliance -- an issue over which IFOR does not have enforcement authority.
• Within 45 days from TOA, forces had been withdrawn from areas designated by the PA for transfer to another Party.
• Within 120 days from TOA, most of the heavy weapons and of the non demobilized forces had been moved to cantonment/barracks or designated areas.