PROTOCOL OF THE 10TH SESSION OF THE COORDINATING COUNCIL OF GEORGIAN AND ABKHAZ SIDES

The 10th session of the Coordinating Council, founded on the basis of the Georgian and Abkhaz sides November 1997 Geneva Meeting’s Final Declaration, took place in Sukhumi on July 11, 2000 under the auspices of the UN Organization and Chaired by the special representative of the UN Secretary General Mr. Dieter Boden with participation of representatives of the Russian Federation as a facilitating side, the OSCE and states, included in the Group of Friends of the UN Secretary General, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and France as observers.

The Head of the Georgian delegation was Mr. Giorgi Arsenishvili.

The Head of the Abkhazian delegation was Mr. Vyacheslav Tsugba.

When opening the session the special representative of the UN Secretary General said that the meeting took place after 6 months’ break and this was an evidence of inefficient usage of Geneva peaceful process negotiation tools, aimed at the broad-scale settlement of the conflict. He stressed that the current session was an indicator of the renewal of negotiation process.

The following items were included in the agenda:

1. The issues on adherence to the cease-fire and problems of security.

2. Refugees and Internally Displaced People (IDPs).

3. Economic and Social Problems.

4. Miscellaneous.

The Representatives of the Sides made statements. The representatives of the Russian Federation as a facilitating side, the OSCE and states, included in the Group of Friends of the UN Secretary General took part in the discussion. The Head of the UNOMIG and the Head of the CIS Peacekeeping Forces distributed the information about the situation in the conflict zone. The session of the Council included plenary sessions and separate bilateral meetings of working groups.

At the session the “Protocol on Gali Meeting of Georgian and Abkhaz sides on stabilization of situation in the Security Zone” was agreed and signed (attached).

The Council adopted the following decisions:

1. Within one month the sides shall conduct preparatory work for signing two documents:  “Protocol on return of refugees to Gali region and measures for the revival of economy”, “Agreement on peace and guarantees for preventing armed conflicts”, taking into consideration the opinion of the representative of Russian Federation.

2. The sides took into consideration document of the UNOMIG on confidence building measures (attached). The sides committed themselves to submit to the Special Representative within two weeks their own proposals regarding the complete realization of already agreed confidence measures. The Council welcomes the invitation of the Government of Ukraine to hold the third meeting on confidence building in Yalta in autumn 2000.

3. To take into consideration issues raised by Abkhaz side about the travelling documents for people residing in Abkhazia.

4. To take immediate measures for realization of provisions of “Protocol on Gali Meeting of Georgian and Abkhaz sides on the stabilization of situation in the Security Zone”. To conduct monthly meetings of the Working group #1 under chairmanship of the Head of the UNOMIG and to hear the reports at these meetings from both sides, UNOMIG and Peacekeeping Forces on the implementation of the aforementioned Protocol. The First Session of the working group #1 shall be hold in mid August 2000.

5. To take into consideration reports of the Head of the UNOMIG and the Head of Peacekeeping Forces on security situation in the conflict zone, as well as recommendation on intensification of the performance of the joint group.

6. To continue the active cooperation within the framework of Energy Working Commission.

7. To call the sides for continuation of negotiations and achieving consensus on specific economic issues in the nearest future.

8. To welcome the agreement of PRUN on continuation of financial assistance to support the operation of Georgian-Abkhaz Coordinating Commission.

9. To approve declarations of Abkhaz and Georgian State commissions for searching the missing people (attached).

10. To welcome the initiative of the Government of Georgia, and especially of the National Library, to give Abkhaz side the books and other documents, referring Abkhazia. The Council called both sides for continuation of cooperation in this sphere and asked to UNOMIG for continuation of the support.

11. To convene 11th session of the Coordinating Council no later than in the first half of 2000.

11 July 2000

(Abkhaz Issue in Official Documents, Legislative and Executive organs of Georgia, International Organizations, 2000-2004; part III. authors: Vakhtang Kholbaia, Teimuraz Chakhrakia, David Latsuzbaia, Tb., 2004, p. 56-58/in Georgian)