The records of S-1851 are comprised of high-level code cables reporting on diplomatic and operational activities of the ICFY. Code cables document the collaboration between the following agencies: the International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia (ICFY); the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR); the Department of Peace Keeping Operations (DPKO); and the European Community Monitoring Mission (ECMM). The code cables were sent or copied to the UN headquarters in New York City and the ICFY Secretariat located in Geneva.
The Office of the Co-Chairmen of the ICFY initially was headed by Co-Chairmen Cyrus Vance and Lord David Owen and later in May 1993, by Lord Owen and Thorvald Stoltenberg. The Office of the Co-Chairmen reported diplomatic and operational developments directly to the Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali and to the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations and Special Envoy for the Former Yugoslavia, Kofi Annan, at the UN headquarters in New York and the Theatre Headquarters in Zagreb, Croatia. Outgoing code cables from the Co-Chairmen relay information about high-level meetings and communications with leaders of warring parties and international diplomatic and governmental organizations. Topics covered include: Co-Chairmen’s progress in the development of a constitution for Bosnia and Herzegovina; the progress of ICFY working groups on issues related to confidence building and security measures, minorities, and economic relations; the forensic examination of alleged mass grave sites in the conflict area; and the possible results of the withdrawal of UNPROFOR (February 1995).
Also included are the Co-Chairmen’s reports to the Security Council about the activities of the ICFY. In addition, a memorandum written by International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) Justice Richard Goldstone describes the preparation of indictments against the Bosnian Serb leadership (June 1995).
The UNPROFOR Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), Yasushi Akashi, sent reports on diplomatic and operational developments primarily to Kofi Annan. Akashi’s code cables consist of periodic reports to the Security Council and the Secretary-General relaying mission and operation specific information such as: the general situation in the mission areas; battalion deployment; the humanitarian situation; political developments in Croatia; and UN sanctions against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).
Included among the code cables are precise details of the Srebrenica Massacre, pursuant to Security Council Resolutions 1009 and 1010 (1995); and the final and comprehensive report on the Sarajevo Mortar Incident of 28 August 1995 (2nd Markale Massacre) prepared by UNPROFOR Lt. Col. J.R.J. Baxter.
The files also contain code cables prepared by UNPROFOR Force Commander Satish Nambiar, who was based in Zagreb, Croatia. He reported to UN headquarters in New York on topics such as: the implementation of the no-fly zone; NATO air strikes against the Bosnian Serb Army (BSA); the mining of Peruca dam by the forces of the “Republic of Serbian Krajina” (RSK); and the safe passage of civilians, commercial goods, and humanitarian aid to and from Sarajevo. There are also cables relaying details of high-level discussions on the renewal of the UNPROFOR mandate (February 1994).
The records also include reports prepared by the European Community Monitoring Mission (ECMM) in the Former Yugoslavia and sent to the ECMM Liaison Office in Geneva, the ECMM Headquarters in Zagreb, Croatia, and copied to the ICFY. The reports primarily consist of overviews of the political, operational, and humanitarian situation in the conflict area.
Also included are high-level clear and code cables from the aforementioned offices, covering topics such as: the situation in FYROM; periodic UNPROFOR operational reports; the cessation of operations of UN Civilian Police (UNCIVPOL); and the status of the International Police Task Force and the UNCIVPOL in Bosnia and Herzegovina following the expiration of the United Nations Confidence Restoration Operation (UNCRO) mandate. Also included are working drafts of the Secretary-General’s report concerning arrangements for the liquidation of headquarters of the United Nations Peace Forces (UNPF) and the establishment of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH), the United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka (UNMOP) and the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES) (31 January 1996).
In addition, the series contains daily situation reports generated by the following Force Commanders of the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR):
Lieutenant-General Satish Nambiar of India, March 1992 to March 1993
Lieutenant-General Lars-Eric Wahlgren of Sweden, March 1993 to June 1993
General Jean Cot of France, June 1993 to March 1994
The situation reports were sent simultaneously to: United Nations headquarters in New York; Cyrus R. Vance and Thorvald Stoltenberg, the Co-Chairmen of the ICFY representing the United Nations Secretary-General in Geneva; and the Liaison Office in Vicenza, Italy of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The situation reports describe military activities in: the United Nations Protected Areas (UNPA); in Sector Sarajevo and in various locations of Bosnia and Herzegovina Command; in Croatia in Sectors North, South, East and West; and in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Command. They note activities of warring factions; ceasefire violations (CFVs); incidents involving the security of United Nations personnel and premises; and the activities of UNPROFOR battalions, United Nations Military Observers (UNMO) and humanitarian convoys.
There are also situation reports sent from Bosnia and Herzegovina Command to UNPROFOR headquarters in Zagreb, Croatia.