RESOLUTION S88R616

S/RES/616 (1988)

20 July 1988

Adopted by the Security Council at its 2821st meeting on 20 July 1988

The Security Council,

Having considered the letter dated 5 July 1988 from the Acting Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/19981),

Having heard the statement of the representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Velayati and the statement of the representative of the United States of America, Vice-President George Bush (see S/PV.2818),

Deeply distressed that a civil aircraft of Iran Air - scheduled international flight 655 - was destroyed in flight over the Straits of Hormuz by a missile fired from the United States warship USS Vincennes,

Stressing the need for a full explanation of the facts of the incident based upon impartial investigation,

Gravely disturbed at the increasing exacerbation of tension in the Gulf region,

1. Expresses its deep distress at the downing of an Iranian civil aircraft by a missile fired from a United States warship and profound regret over the tragic loss of innocent lives;

2. Expresses its sincere condolences to the families of the victims of the tragic incident and to the peoples and Governments of their countries of origin;

3. Welcomes the decision of the International Civil Aviation Organization, in response to the request of the Islamic Republic of Iran, "to institute an immediate fact-finding investigation to determine all relevant facts and technical aspects of the chain of events relating to the flight and destruction of the aircraft" and welcomes the announcements by the United States of America and by the Islamic Republic of Iran of their decisions to co-operate with the International Civil Aviation Organization investigation;

4. Urges all parties to the Chicago Convention of 1944 on International Civil Aviation to observe to the fullest extent, in all circumstances, the international rules and practices concerning the safety of civil aviation, in particular those of the annexes to that Convention, in order to prevent the recurrence of incidents of the same nature;

5. Stresses the need for a full and rapid implementation of its resolution 598 (1987), as the only basis for a comprehensive, just, honourable and durable settlement of the conflict between Iran and Iraq, and reaffirms its support to the efforts of the Secretary-General to implement that resolution, committing itself to work with him in the development of his implementation plan.