United Nations Security Council Resolution 1524 – Georgia
Resolution 1524 (2004)
The Security Council,
Recalling all its relevant resolutions, in particular resolution 1494 (2003) of 30July 2003,
Having considered the report of the Secretary-General of 14 January 2004(S/2004/26),
Recalling the conclusions of the Lisbon (S/1997/57, annex) and Istanbulsummits of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)regarding the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia,
Recalling the relevant principles contained in the Convention on the Safety ofUnited Nations and Associated Personnel adopted on 9 December 1994,
Deploring that the perpetrators of the shooting down of a helicopter of theUnited Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) on 8 October 2001, whichresulted in the death of nine people on board, have still not been identified,
Stressing that the continued lack of progress on key issues of a comprehensive settlement of the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia, is unacceptable,
Welcoming, however, the positive momentum given to the United Nations-ledpeace process by regular high-level meetings of the Group of Friends in Geneva andthe Georgian-Russian summit meeting in March 2003,
Noting the holding of presidential elections in Georgia in January andencouraging the new Georgian leadership as well as the Abkhaz side to pursue acomprehensive, peaceful political settlement of the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia,
Welcoming the important contributions made by UNOMIG and the Collective Peacekeeping Forces of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CISpeacekeeping force) in stabilizing the situation in the zone of conflict, and stressingits attachment to the close cooperation existing between them in the performance oftheir respective mandate,
- Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General of 14 January 2004(S/2004/26);
2. Reaffirms the commitment of all Member States to the 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 accordance with these principles;
3. 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 andthe achievement of a comprehensive political settlement, which must include a settlement of the political status of Abkhazia within the State of Georgia;
4. Stresses, in particular, its strong support for the document on “BasicPrinciples for the Distribution of Competences between Tbilisi and Sukhumi” andfor its letter of transmittal, finalized by, and with the full support of, all members ofthe Group of Friends;
5. Deeply regrets, the continued refusal of the Abkhaz side to agree to a discussion on the substance of this document, again strongly urges the Abkhaz sideto receive the document and its transmittal letter, urges both parties thereafter togive them full and open consideration, and to engage in constructive negotiations ontheir substance, and urges those having influence with the parties to promote this outcome;
6. 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 theUnited Nations, on the status of Abkhazia within the State of Georgia, and is not anattempt to impose or dictate any specific solution to the parties;
7. Underlines further that the process of negotiation leading to a lasting political settlement acceptable to both sides will require concessions from both sides;
8. Welcomes the convening of regular meetings of senior representatives of the Group of Friends in Geneva and the intention expressed by the parties to acceptthe invitation to participate in the forthcoming meeting and calls upon them toparticipate again in a positive spirit;
9. Urges the parties to participate in a more active, regular and structuredmanner in the task forces established in the first Geneva meeting (to address issuesin the priority areas of economic cooperation, the return of internally displacedpersons and refugees, and political and security matters) and complemented by theworking groups established in Sochi, and stresses that results oriented activities inthese three priority areas remain key to building common ground between theGeorgian and Abkhaz sides and ultimately for concluding meaningful negotiationson a comprehensive political settlement based on the paper entitled “BasicPrinciples for the Distribution of Competences between Tbilisi and Sukhumi” andits transmittal letter;
10. Welcomes the joint Georgian-Abkhaz high-level visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina and to Kosovo, Serbia and Montenegro, led by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, as agreed in the second Geneva meeting;
11. Calls on the parties to spare no efforts to overcome their ongoing mutualmistrust;
12. Calls again on the parties to ensure the necessary revitalization of thepeace process in all its major aspects, including 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), to implement the proposals agreed on that occasion in a purposeful and cooperative manner, and toconsider holding a fourth conference on confidence-building measures;
13. Reminds all concerned to refrain from any action that might impede the peace process;
14. Stresses the urgent need for progress on the question of the refugees andinternally displaced persons, calls on both sides to display a genuine commitment tomake returns the focus of special attention and to undertake this task in closecoordination with UNOMIG and consultations with UNHCR and the Group ofFriends and recalls the understanding in the Sochi summit that the reopening of theSochi-Tbilisi railway will be undertaken in parallel with the return of refugees anddisplaced persons, starting in the Gali district;
15. Reaffirms the unacceptability of the demographic changes resulting from the conflict, reaffirms also the inalienable right of all refugees and IDPs affected bythe 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 4April 1994 (S/1994/397, annex II) and the Yalta Declaration;
16. Recalls that the Abkhaz side bears a particular responsibility to protect the returnees and to facilitate the return of the remaining displaced population;
17. Welcomes the mission led by the United Nations Development Programme to the Gali region (December 2003) to assess the feasibility of asustainable recovery process for the local population and potential returnees and toidentify further actions to improve the overall security conditions and ensuresustainable return and looks forward to the publication of the resulting report;
18. Welcomes the positive consideration by the parties given to the recommendations of the joint assessment mission to the Gali district, urges them once again to implement those recommendations and in particular calls upon the Abkhaz side to agree to the opening as soon as possible of the Gali branch of thehuman rights office in Sukhumi and to provide security conditions for its unhindered functioning;
19. Welcomes the start of the deployment of a civilian police component aspart of UNOMIG, as endorsed in resolution 1494 (2003) and agreed by the parties,looks forward to an early confirmation by the Abkhaz side that the deployment inthe Gali district of the remaining police officers can proceed, and calls on the partiesto cooperate and actively support the police component;
20. Calls in particular on the Abkhaz side to improve law enforcementinvolving the local population and to address the lack of instruction in their mothertongue for the ethnic Georgian population;
21. Calls on both parties further to publicly dissociate themselves from any militant rhetoric and demonstrations of support for military options or for the activities of illegal armed groups, notes the efforts undertaken by the Georgian sideto put an end to the activities of illegal armed groups and encourages the parties, inparticular the Georgian side, to maintain their efforts;
22. Condemns any violations of the provisions of the Moscow Agreement of14 May 1994 on a Ceasefire and Separation of Forces (S/1994/583, annex I);
23. Welcomes the continuing relative calm 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 thesituation in the valley and calls on the sides to continue to fully implement this protocol;
24. Deplores the deterioration in the security environment in the Gali sector including repeated killings and abductions;
25. Welcomes the holding of a Quadripartite meeting with high-level representation by the parties on 19 January 2004, and their signing of a protocol on security issues and urges the parties to abide by the provisions of that protocol andthe protocol signed by them on 8 October 2003 and to cooperate more closely with each other to improve security in the Gali sector;
26. 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 resume monitoring of the situation independently and regularly when road conditions permit;
27. Underlines that it is the primary responsibility of both sides to provide appropriate security and to ensure the freedom of movement of UNOMIG, the CISpeacekeeping force and other international personnel; strongly condemns therepeated abductions of personnel of those missions, deeply deplores that none of theperpetrators have ever been identified or brought to justice and reiterates that it isthe responsibility of the parties to end this impunity;
28. Urges the parties, once again, to take all necessary steps to identify those responsible for the shooting down of a UNOMIG helicopter on 8 October 2001, to bring them to justice, and to inform the Special Representative on the steps taken;
29. Decides to extend the mandate of UNOMIG for a new period terminating on 31 July 2004, subject to a review as appropriate of its mandate by the Council inthe event of changes in the mandate of the CIS peacekeeping force;
30. 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 Abkhazia, Georgia;
31. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.
Adopted by the Security Council at its 4906th meeting, on 30 January 2004.
