OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION ON THE SITUATION IN ABKHAZIA, GEORGIA

Washington 1 to 5 july 2005.

1. Reaffirming the commitment of all member states to the principles of sovereignty,

independence and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders, and the necessity to define the status of Abkhazia within the state of Georgia in strict conformity with these principles,

2. Recalling the resolutions of the UNSC, OSCE and its Parliamentary Assembly on the

situation in Abkhazia, Georgia,

3. Welcoming the renewal of the regular meetings of senior representatives of the Group of Friends and the United Nations in Geneva,

4. Deeply regretting the lack of progress on peaceful settlement of the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia,

5. Stressing that the continued lack of progress on key issues of comprehensive settlement of the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia is unacceptable,

6. Recalling the international obligation of the Russian Federation to facilitate and ensure dialogue between conflicting parties,

7. Expressing deep concern about the lack of progress in the work of the Ad hoc Committee on Abkhazia, Georgia as there has not been made any step forward during the last four years,

8. Regretting also the lack of political willingness from the Abkhaz side to meet representatives of the Ad Hoc Committee on Abkhazia, Georgia which hinders the Committee from carrying out its mandate to promote dialogue;

9. Calling on the support of the Russian Delegation to the OSCE PA, as the representatives of the country that bears international obligation of mediator in the conflict, in facilitating the implementation of the mandate of the Ad Hoc Committee on Abkhazia, Georgia;

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

10. Urges all parties involved to do their utmost to find solutions to the unresolved conflicts in Georgia;

11. Calls upon the Russian Federation to refrain from any actions impeding the peace process in Abkhazia, Georgia;

12. Continues to support the work of the OSCE PA Ad hoc Committee on Abkhazia, Georgia and calls for an intensifying of its work;

13. Appeals to the Standing Committee to support the work of the Ad hoc Committee on Abkhazia, Georgia through changing of its mandate and composition;

14. Directs the OSCE Parliamentary Ad hoc Committee on Abkhazia, Georgia to:

a. strengthen its efforts to engage parties in a meaningful dialogue leading to the substantial progress on key issues of conflict resolution such as political status, comprehensive security guarantees, unconditional and dignified return of refugees and internally displaced persons and economic issues;

b. establish a dialogue with and promote exchanges between the representatives of the legislative bodies, institutions, political parties, communities and NGOs;

c. pay regular visits to the region with the particular emphasis on assessment and reporting on the situation with the spontaneously returned refugees/IDPs and Human Rights violation in the region, especially in Gali district;

d. facilitate the implementation of the concrete educational projects of the OSCE HCNM in the region, in particular in Gali district;

e. work out and adopt the 2005/2006 action plan, which should include the concrete steps of the Ad hoc Committee on Abkhazia, Georgia aimed at facilitation of the conflict resolution process through fulfilling the tasks stated in subparagraphs a-f;

f. report to the Standing Committee (or bureau/plenary sessions) on a regular basis on its activities, the progress in the implementation of the action plan and the current situation in Abkhazia, Georgia and submit the relevant recommendations to the OSCE PA;

15. Stresses the urgent need for progress on the question of the refugees and internally displaced persons, and calls on the Abkhaz side to display a genuine commitment to make returnees the focus of special attention and to undertake this task in secure and dignified conditions, in accordance with international law;

16. In this regard recalls that the Russian peacekeepers and the Abkhaz side bear a particular responsibility to protect the returnees and to facilitate the return of the remaining displaced population;

17. Firmly support and actively facilitate the implementation of the UN and the OSCE decisions on the establishment of the UN/OSCE Human rights Office branch in Gali district.

(www. osce.org)