RESOLUTION
1036 (12 JANUARY 1996) ADOPTED BY
THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL
The Security Council,
Reaffirming all its relevant resolutions, in
particular resolution 993 (1995) of 12 May 1995,
Having considered the report of the Secretary-General
of 2 January 1996 (S/1996/5),
Reaffirming
its commitment to the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of
Stressing the need for the parties to intensify
efforts, under the auspices of the United Nations and with the assistance of
the Russian Federation as facilitator, to achieve an early and comprehensive
political settlement of the conflict, including on the political status of
Abkhazia, fully respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of
Georgia,
Noting the holding of presidential and
parliamentary elections in
Reaffirming also the right of all refugees and
displaced persons affected by the conflict to return to their homes in secure
conditions in accordance with international law and as set out in the
Quadripartite Agreement of 4 April 1994 on voluntary return of refugees and
displaced persons (S/1994/397, annex II),
Deploring the continued obstruction of such return
by the Abkhaz authorities,
Deeply concerned over the deterioration in the
humanitarian situation, in particular in the Gali
region where there is a continued lack of a secure environment,
Deeply concerned also at the rising violence and
at the killings being committed in the areas under the control of the Abkhaz
side reported in the letter of 8 January 1996 from the Permanent Representative
of Georgia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security
Council (S/1996/9), Recalling the conclusions of the Budapest summit of the
Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (S/1994/1435, annex) regarding
the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia,
Reaffirming the necessity for the parties to
comply strictly with international humanitarian law,
Noting that the Moscow Agreement of 14 May 1994 on
a Cease-fire and Separation of Forces (S/1994/583, annex I) has generally been
respected by the parties with the assistance of the Commonwealth of Independent
States (CIS) peace-keeping forces and the United Nations Observer Mission in
Georgia (UNOMIG),
Expressing its satisfaction with the close
cooperation and coordination between UNOMIG and the CIS peace-keeping force in
the performance of their respective mandates and commending the contribution
both have made to stabilize the situation in the zone of conflict,
Expressing concern about the safety and security
of UNOMIG and CIS personnel and stressing the importance it attaches to their
freedom of movement, Noting that the forthcoming meeting of the Council of
Heads of State of the CIS to be held in Moscow on 19 January 1996 will consider
the extension of the mandate of the CIS peace-keeping force,
1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General of
2 January 1996;
2. Expresses its deep concern at the continued
deadlock in the efforts to achieve a
comprehensive settlement of the conflict in
3. Reaffirms its full support for the efforts of
the Secretary-General aimed at achieving a comprehensive political settlement
of the conflict, including on the political status of Abkhazia, respecting
fully the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, as well as for the
efforts that are being undertaken by the Russian Federation in its capacity as
facilitator to intensify the search for a peaceful settlement of the conflict,
and encourages the Secretary-General to continue his efforts, with the
assistance of the Russian Federation as facilitator, and with the support of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), to that end;
4. Calls upon the parties, in particular the
Abkhaz side, to achieve substantive progress without further delay towards a
comprehensive political settlement and further calls upon them to cooperate
fully with the efforts undertaken by the Secretary-General with the assistance
of the Russian Federation as facilitator;
5. Demands that the Abkhaz side accelerate
significantly the process of voluntary return of refugees and displaced persons
by accepting a timetable on the basis of that proposed by the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and further demands that it
guarantee the safety of spontaneous returnees already in the area and
regularize their status in accordance with the Quadripartite Agreement;
6. Calls upon the Abkhaz side in that context to
promote, as a first step, the return of refugees and displaced persons to the Gali region, in safety and dignity;
7. Condemns the ethnic killings and continuing
human rights violations committed in
8. Calls upon the parties to improve their
cooperation with UNOMIG and the CIS peace-keeping force in order to provide a
secure environment for the return of refugees and displaced persons and also
calls upon them to honour their commitments with
regard to the security and freedom of movement of all United Nations and CIS
personnel and with regard to UNOMIG inspections of heavy weapons storage sites;
9. Welcomes the additional measures implemented by
UNOMIG and the CIS peace-keeping force in the Gali
region aimed at improving conditions for the safe and orderly return of
refugees and displaced persons, and all appropriate efforts in this regard;
10. Expresses its full support for the elaboration
of a concrete programme for the protection and
promotion of human rights in Abkhazia, Georgia, as described in the
Secretary-General’s report of 2 January 1996 and calls upon the Abkhaz
authorities to cooperate fully with the efforts to this end;
11. Decides to extend the mandate of UNOMIG for an
additional period terminating on 12 July 1996 subject to a review by the
Council of the mandate of UNOMIG in the event of any changes that may be made
in the mandate of the CIS peace-keeping force;
12. Reiterates its encouragement to States to
contribute to the voluntary fund in support of the implementation of the
Agreement on a Cease-fire and Separation of Forces signed in Moscow on 14 May
1994 and/or for humanitarian aspects including demining,
as specified by the donors;
13. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to
keep the Council regularly informed and to report after three months from the
date of the adoption of this resolution on all aspects of the situation in
Abkhazia, Georgia, including the operations of UNOMIG;
14. Decides to remain actively seized of the
matter.
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