RESOLUTION
1150 (30 JANUARY 1998) adopted by the UN Security council
The Security Council,
Recalling all its relevant resolutions, reaffirming in particular
resolution 1124 (1997) of 31 July 1997, and recalling the statement of its
President of 6 November 1997 (S/PRST/1997/50),
Having considered the report of the Secretary-General of 19 January 1998
(S/1998/51),
Supporting the vigorous efforts to move the peace process forward made by
the Secretary-General and his Special Representative aimed at achieving a
comprehensive political settlement of the conflict, including on the political
status of Abkhazia within the State of Georgia, respecting fully the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, with the assistance of the
Russian Federation as facilitator, as well as of the group of Friends of the
Secretary-General and of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE),
Stressing in this context the importance of the Concluding Statement
adopted in Geneva on 19 November
Reaffirming the necessity for the parties strictly to respect human
rights, expressing its support for the efforts of the Secretary-General to find
ways to improve their observance as an integral part of the work towards a
comprehensive political settlement, and noting developments in the work of the
United Nations Human Rights Office in Abkhazia, Georgia,
Deeply concerned at the continuing unsettled and tense security situation
in the Gali region, characterized by the laying of
mines, by a rising number of criminal activities, including kidnapping and
murder, and, most seriously, by significantly increased subversive activities
by armed groups which disrupt the peace process and impede a settlement of the
conflict and the return of refugees, and at the resulting lack of safety and security
for the local population, for the refugees and displaced persons returning to
the region, for aid workers and for the personnel of the United Nations
Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) and of the Collective Peacekeeping Forces
of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS peacekeeping force),
Welcoming in this context the contribution that the CIS peacekeeping
force and UNOMIG have made to stabilizing the situation in the zone of
conflict, noting that the cooperation between UNOMIG and the CIS peacekeeping
force is good and has continued to develop, and stressing the importance of
continued close cooperation and coordination between them in the performance of
their respective mandates,
1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General
of 19 January 1998;
2. Notes with satisfaction that much groundwork has now been laid towards
achieving substantive progress in the peace process but reiterates its deep
concern that, as yet, no significant progress has been made on the key issues
in the settlement of the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia;
3. Commends the parties for the constructive approach shown at the Geneva
meeting on 17 to 19 November 1997, welcomes in this context the establishment
and the first meetings of the Coordinating Council and, within its framework,
of working groups, under the chairmanship of the Special Representative of the
Secretary-General, and stresses the importance of the effective working of
these bodies in order to help progress towards a settlement;
4. Emphasizes that the primary responsibility for reinvigorating the
peace process rests upon the parties themselves, and reminds them that the
ability of the international community to assist them depends on their
political will to resolve the conflict through dialogue and mutual accommodation
and on their taking real steps towards bringing about a comprehensive political
settlement of the conflict through the speediest possible agreement on and
signature of the relevant documents;
5. Reaffirms the particular importance it attaches to the more active
role for the United Nations in the peace process, encourages the
Secretary-General and his Special Representative to continue their efforts,
with the assistance of the Russian Federation as facilitator, and with the
support of the group of Friends of the Secretary-General and the OSCE, and calls
upon the parties to work constructively with them to achieve a comprehensive
settlement;
6. Encourages the continuation of direct dialogue between the parties, calls
upon them to intensify the search for a peaceful solution by further expanding
their contacts, and requests the Secretary-General to make available all
appropriate support if so requested by the parties;
7. Recalls the conclusions of the Lisbon summit of the OSCE (S/1997/57,
annex) regarding the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia, reaffirms the
unacceptability of the demographic changes resulting from the conflict and 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 the voluntary return
of refugees and displaced persons (S/1994/397, annex II), encourages the
Secretary-General to take such steps as are necessary, in cooperation with the
parties, to ensure a prompt and safe return of the refugees and displaced
persons to their homes, and stresses the urgent need for progress in this area,
in particular from the Abkhaz side;
8. Calls upon the parties to ensure the full implementation of the Moscow
Agreement of 14 May 1994 on a Ceasefire and Separation of Forces (S/1994/583,
annex I);
9. Condemns the intensified activities by armed groups, including the
continued laying of mines, in the Gali region, and calls
upon the parties to honour fully their commitments to
take all measures in their power and to coordinate their efforts to prevent
such activities, and to cooperate fully with UNOMIG and the CIS peacekeeping
force in order to ensure the safety and the freedom of movement of all personnel
of the United Nations, the CIS peacekeeping force and international
humanitarian organizations;
10. Welcomes the additional steps taken in order to improve security
conditions so as to minimize the danger to UNOMIG personnel and to create
conditions for the effective performance of its mandate and urges the
Secretary-General to continue to make further arrangements in this field;
11. Decides to extend the mandate of UNOMIG for a new period terminating
on 31 July 1998 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 or in the presence of
the CIS peacekeeping force;
12. Encourages further contributions to address the urgent needs of those
suffering most from the consequences of the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia, in
particular internally displaced persons, including contributions to the
voluntary fund in support of the implementation of the Moscow Agreement and/or
for humanitarian aspects including demining, as
specified by donors, requests the Secretary-General to consider the means of
providing technical and financial assistance aimed at the reconstruction of the
economy of Abkhazia, Georgia, following the successful outcome of the political
negotiations, and welcomes the planning of a needs assessment mission;
13. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to keep the Council
regularly informed, to report after three months from the date of the adoption
of this resolution on the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia, including on the
operations of UNOMIG, and to provide recommendations in that report on the
nature of the United Nations presence, and, in this context, expresses its
intention to conduct a thorough review of the operation at the end of its
current mandate;
14. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.
(www.un.org/docs)