Status
as of 12. 07. 2000
AGREEMENT (DECLARATION) On basic principles of political and
legal relations between the sides in Georgian-Ossetian conflict*
The Georgian and the South Ossetian sides through the mediation of the Russian Federation and with participation of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), guided by the will to develop the positive results reached with the signing in Moscow of the Memorandum on Measures for Ensuring Security and Strengthening Mutual Confidence between the sides in Georgian-Ossetian Conflict on 16 May 1996 and fixed in the Declarations on the results of the meetings between Eduard Shevardnadze and Ludvig Chibirov in Vladikavkaz of 27 August 1996, Java of 14 November 1997, Borjomi of 20 June 1998, as well as in the Protocol of the Meeting of the Specially Authorized Delegations of the Georgian and the South Ossetian sides on a Full Scale Resolution of Georgian-Ossetian conflict (March 1997, Moscow),
have agreed on the following basic principles of political and
legal relations at the present stage of the conflict resolution process:
1. The sides
confirm that the negotiations on a full scale
resolution of Georgian-Ossetian conflict shall culminate in adopting of a
document, fully resolving divergences between the sides in the conflict and
complying with universally recognized norms of international law, the
provisions of the UN Charter, basic principles and commitments of the OSCE.
2. The Georgian and the South Ossetian sides
undertake to strictly adhere to the principle to refrain from threat or use of
force, of political, economic or other forms of pressure towards each other.
3. The sides admit that good will should be the
determining factor for strengthening mutual confidence and for reaching
mutually acceptable and full-scale resolution of the conflict.
In the interests of full-scale settlement of their relations, the sides confirm their intent to work out, with the participation of international experts, a political and legal assessment of past events, origin and reason of the conflict.
4. The sides,
guided by their strive for achieving mutually acceptable balance of the principles of territorial integrity of
states and the right of peoples to self-determination, shall build their
relations within internationally recognized state borders of Georgia, taking
into consideration the vital interests, linking South Ossetia and the Republic
of North Ossetia-Alania of the Russian Federation.
5. South Ossetia shall have its Basic Law, its own
representative, judicial and executive
bodies, security forces and symbols
(Coat of Arms, Flag and Anthem). South Ossetian side shall
independently, with notification to the Georgian side, conclude international
agreements in the fields of trade and economy, science and technology, and
culture.
6. The sides confirm their readiness to achieve
stage-by-stage transformation of the zone of Georgian-Ossetian conflict into a
demilitarized zone provided that there are effective security guarantees and on
the basis of special agreements between the sides.
The sides confirm that the peacekeeping activities, carried out by Joint
Peacekeeping Forces in the zone of conflict in conformity with the Agreement on
the Principles of Georgian-Ossetian Conflict Resolution of 24 June 1992, shall
continue until another decision is taken by the sides in the conflict.
7. The sides shall continue to improve the
cooperation between their law enforcement bodies and take specific measures to
strengthen law and order in the zone of conflict, to elaborate and carry out
coordinated special programs to combat crime.
The sides confirm their commitments to prevent and
immediately stop any illegal actions, violating the rights of individuals on
the basis of their ethnicity.
8. The sides shall continue to assist by all
measures at their disposal the process of voluntary organized return of
refugees and internally displaced persons*,
on the basis of relevant documents adopted by the Joint Control Commission in
co-operation with the UNHCR on this issue.
The sides undertake to adopt normative acts,
guaranteeing the restitution of refugees and internally displaced persons’
rights to lost property, protection of their legitimate rights and
interests.
9. The sides shall enhance their joint efforts to
solve specific problems of rehabilitation of economic relations in different
fields (energy, transport, communications etc.), they shall encourage
initiation and fulfillment of common projects and establishment of joint
ventures.
The sides shall jointly work on the problem of establishing appropriate legal basis for mechanisms regulating rehabilitation and development of the economy in the zone of Georgian-Ossetian conflict.
10.
The Georgian side, together with the South Ossetian side shall facilitate the
search for and attraction of foreign investments, low-interest credits and
subsidies for economic rehabilitation and development in the zone of
Georgian-Ossetian conflict, as well as to implement international
social-economic and humanitarian programs in the zone of conflict, and for the
territories, affected during the conflict.
Concurrently, the Georgian side shall take into fullest account the
priorities of the South Ossetian side while working out and implementing
above-mentioned international projects of rehabilitation and development.
11. The Georgian side stands ready to coordinate
with the South Ossetian side the distribution of means envisaged in Georgian
budget for the rehabilitation works in the zone of Georgian-Ossetian conflict.
A mechanism of multilateral audit of these means shall be put to use.
12. Local ID
cards issued by South Ossetian authorities shall be valid on the whole
The sides have agreed to solve, in
cooperation with the
13.
The Georgian and the South Ossetian sides shall mutually guarantee not to
undertake unilateral decisions and actions, which would contradict to this Agreement
(Declaration).
The sides have agreed that
the fulfillment of this Agreement (Declaration) shall enjoy the guarantees of
the
14. All the disputes arising in the process of
Georgian-Ossetian conflict settlement shall be resolved by the authorized
delegations of the sides, as a rule through the mediation of the Russian
Federation and with the participation of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania
and the OSCE.
15. Implementation of practical arrangements
included in this Agreement (Declaration) shall
be carried out within the framework of the Joint Control Commission, as well
as in interaction between authorized
delegations of the sides, representatives of legislative and executive bodies.
16. This Agreement (Declaration)
shall enter in force upon signing.
For the Georgian Side for
South Ossetian Side
Through Mediation of:
For the
With Participation of:
For the
Of the
For the OSCE
(The Archive of the