CONCLUDING STATEMENT ON THE RESULTS OF THE SECOND MEETING OF THE GEORGIAN
AND ABKHAZ SIDES HELD IN
1. From 23 to 25 July 1998 the second meeting of the
Georgian and Abkhaz sides took place in Geneva under the auspices of the United
Nations, with the participation of representatives of the Russian Federation,
in its capacity as facilitator, the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe (OSCE), and the States belonging to the group of Friends of the
Secretary-General, namely France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United
Kingdom and the United States of America, as observers. Representatives of the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Office of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), also participated in the parts of the discussion
relating to their work.
2. During the meeting an exchange of views took place
on the following agenda items:
- Review of the state of the negotiations on the main
aspects of a comprehensive settlement of the conflict and identification of
areas where concrete political progress could be made;
- Elaboration of effective mechanisms for preserving
the ceasefire regime and concrete guarantees of the non-resumption of
hostilities;
- Problems of the return of refugees and displaced
persons;
- Efforts in the economic, humanitarian and social
areas.
3. The participants at the meeting renewed their
support for the proposals of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to
strengthen the involvement of the United Nations in the peacekeeping process
aimed at achieving a comprehensive political settlement. They recognize that
the process begun on the initiative of the Secretary-General is continuing and
should be stepped up.
4. The parties welcomed the beginning of the
implementation of the programme of action and the work of the machinery on
which agreement had been reached at the previous meeting in
At the same time it was noted that the machinery
established in
5. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General
of the United Nations for Georgia, the representatives of the Russian
Federation, as facilitator, OSCE, and the member States of the group of Friends
of the Secretary-General expressed concern that despite energetic efforts to
intensify the peace process, the parties are still far from agreement on key
aspects of a settlement. They stressed that the major responsibility for
resolution of the problems between the parties lies with the parties to the
conflict themselves. They called upon the parties to the conflict to refrain
from any action which might undermine the efforts which are being undertaken,
to do everything possible to support the peace process, and to demonstrate the
necessary political will so that concrete results can be achieved on
fundamental issues.
6. The participants stressed the importance of
bilateral contacts and direct dialogue between the parties at various levels
and in various spheres, including the work of the Bilateral Joint Coordination
Commission on Practical Issues, which are an integral part of the peace process
and must be supported. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for
7. The parties reaffirmed their adherence to the
Tbilisi Declaration of
- the determination to put an
end to the conflict which has divided them and to restore peaceful relations
and mutual respect;
- the conviction that the
time has come to embark on a policy of peace and well-being and to act jointly
with dignity and mutual tolerance in a spirit of compromise and reconciliation;
- the commitment not to
resort to the use of force to resolve the problems dividing them and not under
any circumstances to permit a renewal of bloodshed. Any differences will be
resolved exclusively by peaceful and political means, through negotiations and
consultations.
8. The participants at the meeting are seriously
concerned about the situation with regard to security in the conflict zone,
which has recently sharply deteriorated. The parties gave their assessments of
the events which have taken place in the security zone, and exchanged views on
ways of resolving the existing situation. Consultations on these issues will be
continued. (The
positions of the sides are annexed.)
9. The parties stressed the need for the immediate
implementation of the decision taken by the Coordination Council to elaborate a
mechanism in which the representatives of the sides, the United Nations
Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) and/or the Collective Peacekeeping Forces
of the Commonwealth of Independent States (“the CIS peacekeeping force”) might
participate for the investigation and prevention of violations of the Moscow
Agreement on a Ceasefire and Separation of Forces of 14 May 1994 and of
subversive terrorist acts carried out in the conflict zone.
10. The parties again reaffirmed their agreement to
refrain from hostile propaganda towards each other and to take measures to
promote the establishment of an atmosphere of mutual trust and understanding.
The participants at the meeting gratefully acknowledged the invitation of the Government
of Greece to hold a special meeting of the parties this year in
11. The parties again reaffirmed their previous
commitment regarding the right of refugees and displaced persons to voluntary
return to the places of their former permanent residence.
They held a comprehensive discussion of the practical
issues linked to the return of the refugees and decided to continue work on
these questions. (The position of the sides are
annexed.)
12. The parties reaffirmed their commitment to
ensuring the freedom of movement and security of humanitarian aid workers so
that they can gain access to those in need and provide assistance to them.
13. The participants at the meeting noted the
importance of coordination of the activities of UNOMIG and the CIS peacekeeping
force for the stabilization of the situation in the conflict zone and for the
prevention of armed conflicts.
Anex. Positions of
the sides on paragraph 8
The
position of the Georgian side
The Georgian side condemns the hostilities and acts of
violence which took place in the Gali district in May 1998, as a result of which,
as is noted in the report of the United Nations Secretary-General (S/1998/647),
approximately 40,000 people from the Gali district had to seek refuge for the
second time on the other side of the Inguri River, and the international
community had to witness how its assistance and efforts went up in flames, when
houses that had been constructed at a cost of more than $2 million out of UNHCR
funds were deliberately set on fire in order to expel people from their home
areas. The Georgian side believes that these actions are a manifestation of a
new wave of ethnic cleansing directed at the Georgian population of
Abkhazia. It notes with regret that the
situation in the Gali district today still remains unstable and tense.
The
position of the Abkhaz side
As a result of the armed conflict provoked by the
Georgian side in May
Positions
of the sides on paragraph 11
The
position of the Georgian side
The Georgian side believes that certain conditions are
necessary for the implementation of the process of the speedy return of the
refugees and displaced persons. To this end it proposed the establishment of a
working group with the participation of representatives of the sides, the
United Nations, the Russian Federation, and the member States of the group of
Friends of the Secretary-General to formulate and implement a plan for the
voluntary and safe return, with dignity, of the refugees and displaced persons,
first and foremost to the Gali district (within the old borders). At the same
time, measures for international guarantees of the continuity of the process of
the return of refugees and displaced persons and for ensuring their safety in
the places of their return should be formulated and implemented.
In immediate and direct linkage with the process of
the stable and organized return of the refugees and displaced persons, first
and foremost to the Gali district (within the old borders), measures for the
economic rehabilitation of the region and the normalization of the border and
customs regimes should be implemented.
At the same time, measures should be undertaken to
invite international organizations and donor countries to allocate resources
for the process of the return of the refugees and displaced persons and for the
restoration of the economy of Abkhazia, as recommended by the United Nations
Needs Assessment Mission.
The Georgian side stressed that the real return of
refugees and displaced persons is possible only on condition of the precise
determination of the territory and time-frame for their return, concrete
measures guaranteeing the security of the returnees and the continuity of this
process, and also mechanisms for its implementation.
The refusal of the
Abkhaz side to accept those necessary conditions points to the purely
declarative nature of its statements concerning agreement to the return of the
refugees and displaced persons.
The
position of the Abkhaz side
When the process of the organized return of the
refugees to the Gali district begins, measures shall be taken to lift the restrictions
established by the decree of the Government of the
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