Adopting resolution 1082(1996) on 27 November 1996, the Security Council extended the mandate of UNPREDEP for a six-month period through 31 May 1997. In view of the crisis in neighbouring Albania, the Council, in resolution 1105(1997) of 9 April 1997, decided on suspending the previously planned reduction of UNPREDEP's military component. By adopting resolution 1110(1997) of 28 May 1997, the Security Council extended the mandate of UNPREDEP for six months through 30 November 1997 and decided to start, after 1 October 1997 and pending prevailing conditions, a two-month phased reduction of the military component by 300 all ranks. The Council again extended the Force mandate in resolution 1140(1997) of 28 November 1997 through 4 December 1997 and; again; on 4 December 1997, in resolution 1140(1997) 1142 (1997), until 31 August 1998.

By adopting resolution 1186/1998 on 21 July 1998, the Security Council reaffirmed its commitment to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and decided to authorize an increase in the troop strength of UNPREDEP up to 1,050 and to extend the mandate of UNPREDEP for a period of six months until 28 February 1999, to continue deterring threats and preventing clashes, to monitor the border areas, and to report to the Secretary-General any developments which could pose a threat to the host country. The Force was also charged with monitoring and reporting on illicit arms flows and other activities that were prohibited under the Council's 4 December 1997 resolution 1160(1998) .

UNPREDEP maintained close cooperation with the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje and the European Commission Monitoring Mission in FYROM. It also established a working relationship with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Kosovo Verification Coordination Centre and the NATO Extraction Force deployed in the host country (S/1999/161) . The functions of the Force came to an end on 28 February 1999, when the Security Council, on 25 February 1999 (Press Release SC/6648) , did not adopt draft resolution S/1999/201 [S/PV.3982], thereby not renewing the mandate of UNPREDEP due to the veto of China, a permanent Member of the Council .

Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a statement after the Council vote that a new approach would have to be adopted by the Government of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and its neighbours, in consultation with regional organizations. In his latest report before the Council vote, the Secretary-General had recommended that UNPREDEP be extended for another six-month period - through 31 August - as taken up in draft resolution S/1999/201 considered on 25 February 1999. The Force's extension was likewise requested by FYROM in letter S/1999/108 of 29 January 1999 addressed to the Secretary-General based on concern over the danger of a spill-over of the Kosovo conflict, increased tensions on the Albanian-Yugoslav border, the unstable situation in Albania itself- which burdened FYROM's efforts to prevent arms trafficking to Kosovo - and the lack of progress in the demarcation of the country's border with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

12 February 1999: As peace and security in UNPREDEP mandate area
largely depend on external factors, mission's presence deemed necessary
by Secretary-General
On 12 February 1999, the Secretary-General reported to the Security Council on UNPREDEP's activities and developments in the mission area since 14 July 1998, pursuant to Council resolution 1186(1998) of 21 July 1998, by which the Council had extended UNPREDP until 28 February 1999 with an authorized increase in its troop strength of up to 1,050. The report said that peace and stability in FYROM continued to depend largely on developments in other parts of the region, in particular in Kosovo. Adding tensions, relations between FYROM and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia have been strained after UNPREDEP's host country's decision to authorize the deployment of the NATO Extraction Force on its territory. This decision prompted a strong protest by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Neither did progress materialize in the border demarcation task between the two countries. The Joint Border Commission, after a hiatus of six months, had yet to resume its deliberations. On 30 January 1999, S/1999/99 , the Secretary-General already expressed increasing concern that the spread of violence and the nature of the attacks in Kosovo could lead to a situation of all-out civil war in the province, which might have unpredictable repercussions for the entire region. Thus, it was a matter of satisfaction , the Secretary-General stated on 12 February 1999, that as of then, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has not been adversely affected by the Kosovo conflict. However, the potential serious repercussions that continued violence in Kosovo could have upon the external and internal security of the country must not be ignored given the large proportion of ethnic Albanians in the population of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

UNPREDEP contributed successfully to preventing the spill-over of conflicts elsewhere in the region to the former Yugoslavia Republic of Macedonia. By promoting dialogue among the various political forces and ethnic communities in the country, the mission had a stabilizing effect in the terrain. The confidence inspired by its presence has defused tensions that could have arisen as a result of the continued crisis in Kosovo. The increase in UNPREDEP's military component by 300 all ranks, authorized by Security Council resolution 1186/1998 , was completed by the beginning of January, thus bringing its strength to 1,050 troops. Pursuant to resolution 1160(1998), UNPREDEP undertook the new tasks of monitoring and reporting on illicit arms flows and other activities prohibited by that Council decision. Newly set up UNPREDEPmobile reaction teams responded to sighted smuggling activities by moving quickly to continue observation and provided more accurate information on whether arms, ammunition or explosives were involved. On average, UNPREDEP military personnel conducted some 400 patrols per week, including 300 border and community patrols, established 80 temporary observation posts (from 3 to 24 hours), and conducted 15 helicopter patrols. The civilian police monitors, in addition, conducted approximately 100 patrols per week.

18 December 1998: Fernando Valenzuela-Marzo of Spain new Special Representative
On 18 December 1998 (S/1998/1191; S/1998/1192), Fernando Valenzuela-Marzo of Spain was appointed Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, succeeding Henryk J. Sokalski of Poland.

24 October 1998: Security Council demands full compliance by Belgrade
on Kosovo agreements
Concern about a possible spill-over of the Kosovo conflict into FYROM due to its shared border directly concerned UNPREDEP, which mandate comprised patrolling that border area. By the adoption of resolution 1203/1998 on 24 October 1998, the Security Council, acting under Chapter VII of the Charter, endorsed and supported the agreements signed in Belgrade on 16 October 1998 between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the OSCE, and on 15 October 1998 between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and NATO, concerning the verification of compliance by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and all others concerned in Kosovo with the requirements of its resolution 1199 (1998), and demanded the full and prompt implementation of these agreements by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

During the latter part of 1995, the Council terminated the mandates of UNCRO and UNPROFOR and established two new operations; namely the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina UNMIBH ; and the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium: UNTAES . Additionally, the Council extended the mandate of UNPREDEP. In Eastern Croatia, UNTAES came to an end on 15 January 1998 and was succeeded, from 16 January 1998 on, by the United Nations Civilian Police Support Group . The Police Support Group continued monitoring the performance of the Croatian police in the Danube region, particularly with respect to the return of displaced persons, for a single nine-month period ending on 15 October 1998. On 16 October 1998, UNPSG was taken over by a monitoring mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; OSCE.

By adopting resolution 1082(1996) on 26 November 1996, the Security Council extended the mandate of UNPREDEP for a six-month period through 31 May 1997 and due to the crisis in neighbouring Albania, suspended the reduction of the Force's military component through resolution 1105(1997) of 9 April 1997. By adopting resolution 1110 (1997) of 28 May 1997, the Security Council extended the mandate of UNPREDEP for six months through 30 November 1997. The Council later on extended the mission's mandate in resolution 1140 (1997) of 28 November 1997 through 4 December 1997 and; again; on 4 December 1997, in resolution 1142 (1997), until 31 August 1998. Council resolution 1186/1998 of 21 July 1998 decided on an increase in the troop strength of UNPREDEP up to 1,050; and on its mandate extension the mandate of UNPREDEP for a period of six months until 28 February 1999. The mandate included to deter threats and prevent clashes, to monitor the border areas, and to report to the Secretary-General any developments which could pose a threat to the host nation, including the tasks of monitoring and reporting on illicit arms flows and other activities that were prohibited under resolution 1160/1998 of 31 March1998.

The Security Council called on 24 August 1998, by Presidential Statement S/PRST/1998/25 for an immediate ceasefire in Kosovo, emphasizing the need for the achievement of a political solution to the conflict by the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Kosovo Albanians. The Council reiterated the importance of the implementation of its 31 March 1998 resolution 1160(1998) , by which it banned the sale or supply to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, including Kosovo, of arms and related materiel of all types. By that resolution, it also decided that States should prevent arming and training for terrorist activities in Kosovo. The Council reaffirmed the commitment of all Member States to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

On 24 August, the Council also considered the 5 August report of the Secretary-General on the Kosovo situation S/1998/712 , which stated that, while all organizations contacted had stated readiness to contribute actively to the monitoring of the prohibitions imposed by resolution 1160(1998) , the overall resources pledged by them would not allow for the establishment of a comprehensive monitoring regime as envisaged in the resolution. Nonetheless, their proposed contributions, coupled with that of the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP), would provide a useful framework for reporting on violations of the prohibitions and for assisting the Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1160(1998) in discharging its mandate. The Committee, consisting of all Council members, was established to facilitate implementation of the arms embargo. .

On 14 July 1998, the Secretary-General submitted to the Council follow-up report S/1998/644 on UNPREDEP. Since the start of the Kosovo crisis, the Force had intensified its patrols along the borders with Albania and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and also established temporary observation posts for 24-hour monitoring. The imposition of these additional tasks came when the fulfilment of UNPREDEP's existing responsibilities had already stretched the reduced strength of the operation to the limit. Taking this into account, the Secretary General's report contained the recommendation for the Security Council to extend UNPREDEP for a further period of six months, until 28 February 1999, and to increase UNPREDEP's troop level by 350 all ranks.

Adopting resolution 1186/1998 of 21 July 1998, the Security Council reaffirmed its commitment to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and decided to authorize an increase in the troop strength of UNPREDEP up to 1,050 and to extend the mandate of UNPREDEP for a period of six months until 28 February 1999.