RESOLUTION 1427 (
The Security Council,
Recalling all its relevant resolutions, in
particular resolution 1393 (2002) of
Having considered the report of the
Secretary-General of
Recalling the conclusions of the
Recalling the relevant principles contained in the
Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel adopted on
Recalling its condemnation of the shooting down of
a helicopter of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) on 8
October 2001, which resulted in the death of the nine people on board, and
deploring the fact that the perpetrators of that attack have still not been
identified,
Stressing that the continued lack of progress on
key issues of a comprehensive settlement of the conflict in
Welcoming the important contributions made by UNOMIG
and the Collective Peacekeeping Forces of the Commonwealth of Independent
States (CIS peacekeeping force) in stabilizing the situation in the zone of
conflict, and stressing its attachment to the close cooperation existing
between them in the performance of their respective mandates,
Welcoming also the agreement on the extension of
the mandate of the CIS peacekeeping force for a new period terminating on
1. Welcomes the report of
the Secretary-General of
2. Commends and strongly supports the sustained
efforts of the Secretary- General and his Special Representative, with the
assistance of the Russian Federation in its capacity as facilitator as well as
of the Group of Friends of the Secretary-General and of the OSCE, to promote
the stabilization of the situation and the achievement of a comprehensive
political settlement, which must include asettlement of the political status of
Abkhazia within the State of Georgia;
3. Recalls, in particular, its support for the
document on “Basic Principles for the Distribution of Competences between
4. Regrets the lack of progress on the initiation
of political status negotiations, and recalls, once again, that the purpose of
these documents is to facilitate meaningful negotiations between the parties,
under the leadership of the United Nations, on the status of Abkhazia within
the State of Georgia, and is not an attempt to impose or dictate any specific
solution to the parties;
5. Underlines further that the process of
negotiation leading to a lasting political settlement acceptable to both sides
will require concessions from both sides;
6. Deeply regrets, in particular, the repeated
refusal of the Abkhaz side to agree to a discussion on the substance of this
document, again strongly urges the Abkhaz side to receive the document and its
transmittal letter, urges both parties thereafter to give them full and open
consideration, and to engage in constructive negotiations on their substance,
and urges those having influence with the parties to promote this outcome;
7. Calls on the parties to spare no efforts to
overcome their ongoing mutual mistrust;
8. Condemns any violations of the provisions of
the Moscow Agreement of
9. Welcomes the decrease of tensions in the Kodori
Valley and the intention reaffirmed by the parties to resolve the situation
peacefully, recalls its strong support to the protocol signed by the two sides
on 2 April 2002 regarding the situation in the Kodori Valley, calls on both
sides, and in particular the Georgian side, to continue to fully implement this
protocol, and recognizes the legitimate security oncerns of the civilian populations in the
area, calls on the political leaders in Tbilisi and Sukhumi to observe security
agreements, and calls on both sides to spare no efforts to agree a mutually
acceptable arrangement for security of the population in, and in the vicinity
of, the Kodori Valley;
10. Calls on the Georgian side to continue to
improve security for joint UNOMIG and CIS peacekeeping force patrols in the
Kodori Valley to enable them to monitor the situation independently and
regularly;
11. Strongly urges the parties to ensure the
necessary revitalization of the peace process in all its major aspects, to
resume their work in the Coordinating Council and its relevant mechanisms, to
build on the results of the Yalta meeting on confidence-building measures in
March 2001 (S/2001/242), and to implement the proposals agreed on that occasion
in a purposeful and cooperative manner;
12. Stresses the urgent need for progress on the
question of the refugees and internally displaced persons, calls on both sides
to display a genuine commitment to make returns the focus of special attention
and to undertake this task in close coordination with UNOMIG, reaffirms the unacceptability
of the demographic changes resulting from the conflict, reaffirms also the
inalienable right of all refugees and internally displaced persons affected by
the conflict to return to their homes in secure and dignified conditions, in
accordance with international law and as set out in the Quadripartite Agreement
of 4 April 1994 (S/1994/397, annex II) and the Yalta Declaration, recalls that
the Abkhaz side bears a particular responsibility to protect the returnees and
to facilitate the return of the remaining displaced population, and requests
further measures to be undertaken inter alia by the United Nations Development
Programme, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and
the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to create conditions
conducive to the return of refugees and internally displaced persons, including
through quick-impact projects, to develop their skills and to increase their
self-reliance, with full respect for their inalienable right to return to their
homes in secure and dignified conditions;
13. Urges once again the parties to implement the
recommendations of the joint assessment mission to the Gali district, carried
out under the aegis of the United Nations, welcomes the agreement of the parties
in this regard to explore the possibility of enhancing support for local law
enforcement agencies, and calls in particular on the Abkhaz side to improve law
enforcement involving the local population and to address the lack of
instruction in their mother tongue for the ethnic Georgian population;
14. Calls on both parties publicly to dissociate
themselves from militant rhetoric and demonstrations of support for military
options and for the activities of illegal armed groups, and reminds the
Georgian side in particular to uphold its commitment to put an end to the
activities of illegal armed groups;
15. Calls, once again, on the parties to take all
necessary steps to identify those responsible for the shooting
down of a UNOMIG helicopter on 8 October 2001 and to
bring them to justice and underlines that it is the primary responsibility of
both sides to provide appropriate security and to ensure the freedom of
movement of UNOMIG, the CIS peacekeeping force and other international
personnel;
16. Welcomes constant review by UNOMIG of its
security arrangements in order to ensure the highest possible level of security
for its staff;
17. Decides to extend the mandate of UNOMIG for a
new period terminating on
18. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to
keep the Council regularly informed and to report three months from the date of
the adoption of this resolution on the situation in
19. Decides to remain actively seized of the
matter.
(www.un.org/docs)