PROTOCOL of the First Session of the Coordinating Council of the Georgian and Abkhaz sides

The first session of the Coordinating Council, established on the basis of the final statement on the outcome of the meeting between the Georgian and the Abkhaz sides (Geneva, 17 to 19 November 1997) took place in Sukhumi on 18 December 1997 under the auspices of the United Nations and the chairmanship of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General Mr. Liviu Bota.

The Georgian side was represented by a delegation consisting of Mr. Vazha Lordkipanidze, Mr. Rezo Adamia and Mr. Tamaz Khubua.

The Abkhaz side was represented by a delegation consisting of Mr. Tamaz Ketsba, Mr. Sergei Tsargush and Mr. Victor Khashba.

When opening the session, the Special Representative of the Secretary General welcomed the arrival in Sukhumi of the members of the Georgian delegation, who were appointed by Mr. E. Shevardnadze and represented the Georgian side exclusively in the Coordinating Council.

In the session participated the representatives of the Russian Federation as facilitator, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the States to the Group of Friends of the UN Secretary General – France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, as observers.

Mr. Ardzinba made a presentation at the opening of the session.

Representatives of the sides, the Russian Federation  - as a facilitator, the OSCE and the Group of Friends of the Secretary General also made interventions during the course of the work.

The participants of the session adopted the Statute of the Coordinating Council, the text of which is attached.

After the conclusion of the session of the Coordinating Council, meetings of the Working Groups were held under the chairmanship of the Special Representative of the Secretary General. Agreement was reached on the schedule of work of the Working Groups.

18 December 1997

(Abkhaz Issue in Official Documents, Legislative and Executive organs of Georgia, International Organizations, 1989-1999, part II, 1995-1999; authors: Vakhtang Kholbaia, Teimuraz Chakhrakia, Rafiel Gelantia, David Latsuzbaia, Tb., 2000, p. 183-185/in Georgan)