The Security Council,

Recalling its resolutions 1132 (1997) of 8 October 1997 and 1156 (1998) of 16 March 1998 and the statement of its President of 26 February 1998,

Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General of 18 March 1998 (S/1998/249),

1. Welcomes the efforts made by the democratically elected President of Sierra Leone since his return on 10 March 1998 and by the Government of Sierra Leone to restore peaceful and secure conditions in the country, to re-establish effective administration and the democratic process and to embark on the task of reconstruction and rehabilitation;

2. Commends the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its Military Observer Group (ECOMOG), deployed in Sierra Leone, on the important role they are playing in support of the objectives related to the restoration of peace and security set out in paragraph 1 above;

3. Emphasizes the need to promote national reconciliation in Sierra Leone, and encourages all parties in the country to work together towards this objective;

4. Notes with satisfaction the steps taken by the Secretary-General to strengthen the office of his Special Envoy in Freetown with necessary civilian and military personnel with the aims proposed in his report of 18 March 1998;

5. Authorizes the deployment, with immediate effect, of up to ten United Nations military liaison and security advisory personnel in accordance with paragraph 44 of the report of the Secretary-General of 18 March 1998 to Sierra Leone for a period of up to 90 days, to work under the authority of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, to coordinate closely with the Government of Sierra Leone and ECOMOG, to report on the military situation in the country, to ascertain the state of and to assist in the finalization of planning by ECOMOG for future tasks, such as the identification of the former combatant elements to be disarmed and the design of a disarmament plan, as well as to perform other related security tasks as identified in paragraphs 42, 45 and 46 of the report of the Secretary-General of 18 March 1998;

6. Welcomes the discussions taking place between the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, the Government of Sierra Leone and ECOMOG on the further elaboration and implementation of the ECOMOG concept of operations, and the intention of the Secretary-General to revert to the Council with further recommendations on the possible deployment in this regard of United Nations military personnel, and expresses its intention to consider such recommendations and take a decision thereon expeditiously;

7. Urges all States and international organizations to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to Sierra Leone, in response to the consolidated inter-agency appeal launched on 3 March 1998;

8. Encourages all States and international organizations to assist and participate in the longer term tasks of reconstruction and economic and social recovery and development in Sierra Leone;

9. Urges all States to make contributions to the Trust Fund which has been established to support peacekeeping and related activities in Sierra Leone, and to provide technical and logistical support to assist ECOMOG to continue to carry out its peacekeeping role;

10. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Security Council periodically, including on the activities of the military liaison and security advisory personnel referred to in paragraph 5 above and on the work of the office of his Special Envoy in Sierra Leone, within the reporting time-frame in paragraph 16 of resolution 1132 (1997);

11. Decides to remain seized of the matter.