The Security Council,

Reaffirming its resolutions 1125 (1997) of 6 August 1997, 1136 (1997) of 6 November 1997, 1152 (1998) of 5 February 1998, 1155 (1998) of 16 March 1998, and 1159 (1998) of 27 March 1998,

Welcoming the report of the Secretary-General of 19 June 1998 (S/1998/540) and noting the recommendations contained therein,

Noting with satisfaction the rapid and effective deployment of the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (MINURCA),

Stressing the importance of regional stability and the need to consolidate the progress achieved so far, and in particular to assist the people of the Central African Republic to consolidate the process of national reconciliation and to help sustain a secure and stable environment conducive to the holding of free and fair elections,

Welcoming the inauguration of the Electoral Commission with a neutral and independent Chairman and stressing the need for all signatories to the Bangui Agreements to cooperate to ensure the effective functioning of the Commission,

Reiterating the need for the authorities of the Central African Republic to continue to take concrete steps to implement political, economic, social and security reforms as referred to in the report of the Secretary-General of 23 February 1998 (S/1998/148) and to fulfil the commitments expressed in the letter of 8 January 1998 to the Secretary-General from the President of the Central African Republic (S/1998/61, annex) including continued cooperation with the international financial institutions,

1. Decides to extend the mandate of MINURCA until 25 October 1998;

2. Calls upon the Government of the Central African Republic to adopt, as soon as possible, a plan for the effective restructuring of the armed forces of the Central African Republic based on the proposals submitted by the Commission on the Restructuring of the Defence and Security Forces;

3. Urges the international community to lend its support to the restructuring of the security forces of the Central African Republic, including the gendarmerie, through bilateral and multilateral assistance programmes, and recognizes the role of MINURCA of providing advice and technical assistance for the initial steps in restructuring the security forces of the Central African Republic and, in this connection, coordinating and channelling international support to this end;

4. Recognizes that MINURCA, in implementing its mandate, may conduct limited-duration reconnaissance missions outside Bangui, and other tasks involving the security of United Nations personnel in accordance with paragraph 10 of resolution 1159 (1998);

5. Calls upon the authorities of the Central African Republic to adopt rapidly an operational plan for the organization of the legislative elections, and so enable the United Nations and international organizations to make arrangements for the provision of the necessary assistance;

6. Encourages MINURCA to continue to consult with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) regarding the provision of advice and technical assistance to all relevant electoral bodies, and urges the Secretary-General to provide, as soon as possible, recommendations for United Nations assistance for the legislative election process;

7. Urges Member States to provide the required technical, financial and logistical assistance for the organization of free and fair elections;

8. Also urges Member States to support the efforts of the authorities of the Central African Republic in the economic and social development of the country and in particular encourages international financial institutions to cooperate with the Central African Republic in this regard;

9. Requests the Secretary-General to submit a report to the Security Council by 25 September 1998 on the implementation of the mandate of MINURCA, on developments in the Central African Republic, on progress towards the implementation of the commitments expressed in the letter of 8 January 1998 to the Secretary-General from the President of the Central African Republic and on the implementation of the Bangui Agreements and the National Reconciliation Pact, including on commitments related to ensuring the country's economic recovery;

10. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.