STATEMENT OF THE PARLIAMENT OF GEORGIA

The Parliament of Georgia voices its dismay with certain clauses in the recent documents submitted by the Secretary-General of the UN Boutros Boutros Ghali to the Security Council on 3 May of the current year and the report regarding the peace negotiations on conflict settlement in the region of Abkhazia and the status of Abkhazia in state arrangement of Georgia (Annex II). Such development of the peace process and escalation of social-political tension in Georgia represent a real threat to the territorial integrity of the country and its centuries-old statehood. All the aforementioned jeopardizes the process of peace negotiations that may entail a new wave of military confrontation in the Caucasus Region.

The Parliament of Georgia, considering necessary continuation of the process of peaceful regulation of the conflict with participation of International Organizations and interested sides, welcomes the effort towards the return of refugees and displaced people in the region. At the same time, the Parliament of Georgia declares, that from the point of national interests, the political status of Abkhazia within the Republic of Georgia is the issue of paramount importance. it shall be decided with respect of rights of the multi-ethnic population of Abkhazia to realization of the function of the autonomous management, as well as with respect of necessary competence of the central power of Georgia, which, in compliance with the world standards, is the fundamental for existing state institutions.

The Parliament of Georgia deems necessary to maintain within the competence of unified republic the basic elements: compliance of the Constitution of Abkhazia with the Constitution of the Republic of Georgia; unified monetary system; borders; army; foreign policy of the central power; clear separation of certain issues under the joint competence in the field of human rights, environment protection and others.

Expressing once again its hope to the peaceful settlement of the conflict in Abkhazia, the Parliament of Georgia, being one of the legitimate organ bearer of the will of the population of Georgia, declares, that it will not reconcile with dissolution of the unified state of Georgia and any agreement, which jeopardizes the territorial integrity and state sovereignty of Georgia, will be considered as having no legal force.

Tbilisi, 24 May 1994

(Bulletin of the Parliament of Georgia, 1993, # 18, p. 236-237)