DECREE ISSUED BY THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION on the Situation in the North Caucasus in the Light of Events in Abkhazia

Due to the critical situation established in the North Caucasus and continued conflict in Abkhazia, the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation decrees:

1. To condemn the violent act committed by the leadership of the Republic of Georgia using forcible measures to solve the inter-ethnic problems and request Georgian authorities to terminate military operations, withdraw the armed formations from the territory of Abkhazia and respect the human rights.

2.  To realize that the measures, undertaken by the leadership of the Russian Federation aimed at regulating the conflict in Abkhazia yet failed to establish peace.  The Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation, breaching Articles 108 and 114 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, didn’t convene an extraordinary session of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation upon the request of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Adygey and the Peoples’ Council of Krasnodar Region.  This fact made a negative impact to the developments in the North Caucasus region.

3.  To support the initiative of the president of Russian Federation on convocation of the meeting of the leadership of Russia, Georgia, Abkhazia, as well as the republics, regions and districts of the North Caucasus with an aim to secure unconditional cease-fire in Abkhazia, development of peace process, stabilization of the situation in the region and assistance to the refugees as was assigned at the Moscow Meeting of 3 September 1992.

4. To advise the President and the government of the Russian Federation:

- to discuss the issue on involvement of the contingents of Military forces of the Russian Federation as a peacekeeping forces for protection of the population and securing the operation of industrial enterprises and transport in the demilitarized zone of the conflict in conformity to the Final Document of the Moscow Meeting of 3 September 1992.

- to elaborate a package of measures on protection of the interests of Russian Federation along the state border in the North Caucasus region before 10 October 1992;

- to cease the process of transferring to Georgia the arms, military techniques and ammunition from the military units and establishments of the Russian Federation; to terminate transferring to Georgia the arms, military techniques and ammunition, as well as other supplies and raw materials for enterprises producing the weapons, military techniques and ammunition under previously concluded contracts;  to refrain from concluding economic agreements with Georgia until the regulation of the conflict in Abkhazia;

- to continue humanitarian assistance to the population in the conflict zone;

5.  The Chairmen of the Chambers of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation, before 10 October 1992, shall set up standing commissions for operative study of the situation in the conflict zone and for performing the function of mediator.

6.  To consider necessary establishment of the international commission for investigation of facts of human rights violation on the territory of Abkhazia, estimation of material damages and assistance to return of all refugees in Abkhazia.

8.  The prosecutor General, the Ministry of Interior, the ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation shall carry out adequate measures to prevent the operation of illegal military formations on the territory of the north Caucasus.

The Supreme Council of the Russian Federation expresses its hope that all of the republics within the USSR will respect the international norms with regard of human rights assigned in the Universal Declaration of the Human Rights, International Treaty, Helsinki Final Document, Paris Charter for New Europe and other documents by CSCE and calls them for securing the human rights and the rights of ethnic minorities.

Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation R. Khasbulatov

25 September 1992

(Journal “Dimplomaticheskiy Vestnik”, 1992, #  # 19-20, p. 24-25)