PROTOCOL OF THE FIRST SPECIAL SESSION OF THE COORDINATING COUNCIL OF THE GEORGIAN AND ABKHAZIAN SIDES

The first special session of the Coordinating Council set up based on the final declaration of the meeting of the Georgian and Abkhazian sides (Geneva, 17-19 November 1997) was held on the demand of the Abkhazian side in Tbilisi on 22 January 1998 under the auspices of the United Nations, chaired by the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative Mr. Liviu Bota.

The Georgian side was represented by the delegation comprising Mr. Vazha Lordtkipanidze, Mr. Revaz Adamia, and Mr. Tamaz Khubua.

The Abkhazian side was represented by the delegation comprising Mr. Tamaz Ketsba, Mr. Sergey Tsargush, and Mr. Victor Khashba.

Representatives of the Russian Federation participated in the work of the session as a facilitating side, of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the countries, members of the UN Secretary General’s group of friends: France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as observers. Opening the session, the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative Mr. Liviu Bota, noting the escalation of the subversive and terrorist activities in the conflict zone, stated that he rejects in a categorical way use of force in the conflict settlement process, and condemns terrorist and violent acts. Mr. Liviu Bota called on the sides to take all necessary effective measures to stop activities of the illegal armed units, terrorist and criminal groups, and individual persons, including those penetrating into the Abkhazian territory from outside, that can destabilize the peace process and lead to renewal of hostilities.

Representatives of the sides, the Russian Federation acting as a facilitating side, OSCE, and the UN Secretary General’s group of friends, made a statement during the session. The agenda of the session comprised the following issues:

1. Review of the activities of the 1st and 3rd working groups;

2. Subversive acts that have taken place lately, and measures aimed at strengthening security in the conflict zone;

General Harun Ar-Rashid, the head of the 1st working group, and Mr. Marco Borsotti, the head of the 3rd working group, presented their reports on the activities carried out by the respective groups.

The Council adopted the following decisions:

1. To approve the need identification mission’s mandate in accordance with the 3rd working group’s proposals;

2. Charge the 1st working group to elaborate in a month’s time a mechanism, in which representatives of the sides, UNOMIG and/or CIS CPKF could participate in order to investigate and prevent facts violating the Moscow Agreement on Cease-fire and Separation of Forces, subversive and terrorist acts carried out in the conflict zone;

3. Charge the 2nd working group to hold a meeting during the first half of February 1998 and discuss fulfillment of the entrusted tasks.

4. Organize not later than the second week of March the next session of the Coordination Council to discuss reports of working groups, namely the report and recommendations concerning the activities of the of the needs identification mission.

V. Lordkipanidze, T. Ketsba, L. Bota

22 January 1998

(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. 190-191/in Georgan)