STATEMENT OF THE COUNCIL OF THE HEADS OF THE COMMONWELTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES On conflict in Abkhazia, the Republic of Georgia

More than a year and a half passed since the starting of process of settlement of the armed conflict in Abkhazia, the Republic of Georgia

More than a hear and a half passed after the starting of process of full-scale settlement of the armed conflict in Abkhazia, the Republic of Georgia. Despite the peacekeeping efforts of Russia and the CIS in general and also the UNO and the OSCE, this process is far from the settlement.

Conflict resulted in the casualties of the thousands of people, majority of them were peaceful inhabitants. More than 300 000 people were forced to leave the permanent places of residence. Practically all the ethnic Georgian population, which was 47% of its inhabitants, found themselves out of the borders of Abkhazia.

In the special resolution of the Budapest Summit of the OSCE was expressed a deep concern in relation with the ethnic cleansing, mass expulsion of the population, mostly Georgian – from the places of residence and death of the high number of the innocent civil persons.

In the resolution of the 993 (1993), the Security Council of the UN indicates “continued impediments from the side of the Abkhazian authorities to the return of the IDPs and Refugees.”

The Council of the heads of the states of the CIS supports measures, conducted by the Russian Federation on the settlement of the conflict in Abkhazia and is ready to provide possible assistance in this. The Council is convinced that the extension of the term of the Mandate of peacekeepers in Abkhazia, with the introduced corrections cerates the necessary conditions for the soonest, secure, volunteer and in dignity return of refugees and IDPs and will facilitate the full-scale settlement of the conflict in Abkhazia. The Council considers that settlement shall be implemented with observation of fundamental Human Rights, irrespective of nationality, origin, religious or other belonging.

Liquidation of this conflict and its consequences would be the great achievement of the multi-ethnic Georgia, victory of common sense and rationale of the Commonwealth, essential contribution to stabilization of the situation in the Caucasus and on the entire territory of the CIS.

The Council of the heads of the states:

1. Confirming their readiness to territorial integrity of the Republic of Georgia, standing for the continuation of talks and their soonest completion, appealing to the sides in the conflict to achieve its full-scale settlement in the frame of the united Federal state.

2. Welcoming the readiness of the Republic of Georgia to conduct consultations about the new Constitution, this can become the basis of its dignified settlement of the disputed questions in the state arrangement.

3. Supporting the necessity of implementation of the decision on directing of observers from their countries to the conflict zone in Abkhazia.

4. Guiding by the provisions of the Alma-Ata memorandum of February 10, 1995 on overcoming of threat of separatism, considers it the most essential condition for the conflict settlement to observe the provisions by all the states-members of the Commonwealth.

May 26, 1995.

(www.un.org/russian; Collection of documents on the issue of settlement of the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia, adopted in the period of 1992 till 1999., author G. Uridia, Tb., 1999, pages 44-46)