United Nations Security Council Resolution 1065 – The situation in Georgia

Resolution 1065 (1996)

The Security Council,

Reaffirming all its relevant resolutions, in particular resolution1036 (1996) of 12 January 1996,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General of 1 July 1996(S/1996/507 and Add.1),

Noting with deep concern the continued failure by the parties to resolvetheir differences due to the uncompromising position taken by the Abkhaz side,and underlining the necessity for them to intensify without delay their efforts,under the auspices of the United Nations and with the assistance of the Russian Federation as facilitator, to achieve an early and comprehensive political settlement of the conflict, including on the political status of Abkhazia within the State of Georgia, which fully respects the sovereignty and territorialintegrity of Georgia,

Reaffirming the necessity for the parties strictly to respect human rights,and expressing its support for the Secretary-General’s efforts to find ways to improve their observance as an integral part of the work towards a comprehensive political settlement,

Noting that the Moscow Agreement of 14 May 1994 on a Cease-fire and Separation of Forces (S/1994/583, annex I) has generally been respected by theparties with the assistance of the Collective Peace-keeping Forces of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS peace-keeping force) and the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG),

Commending the contribution UNOMIG and the CIS peace-keeping force have made to stabilize the situation in the zone of conflict and stressing the importance of continued close cooperation and coordination between them in the performance of their respective mandates,

Deeply concerned at the deterioration of the security conditions in theGali region and of the safety and security of the local population, of therefugees and displaced persons returning to the region and of UNOMIG and CISpeace-keeping force personnel,

Reminding the parties that the international community’s ability to assist them depends on their political will to resolve the conflict through dialogue and mutual accommodation, as well as their full cooperation with UNOMIG and the CIS peace-keeping force, including the fulfilment of their obligations regarding the safety and freedom of movement of international personnel,

Taking note of the decision taken by the Heads of State of the CIS of17 May 1996 (S/1996/371, annex I),

Noting that the Heads of State of the CIS will consider the extension ofthe mandate of the CIS peace-keeping force beyond 19 July 1996,

1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General of 1 July 1996;

2. Expresses its deep concern at the continued deadlock in the efforts toachieve a comprehensive settlement of the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia;

3. Reaffirms its commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, within its internationally recognized borders, and to the necessityof defining the status of Abkhazia in strict accordance with these principles,and underlines the unacceptability of any action by the Abkhaz leadership incontravention of these principles;

4. Reaffirms its full support for the efforts of the Secretary-Generaland his Special Envoy aimed at achieving a comprehensive political settlement ofthe conflict, including on the political status of Abkhazia within the State ofGeorgia, respecting fully the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia,as well as for the efforts that are being undertaken by the Russian Federationin its capacity as facilitator to continue to intensify the search for apeaceful settlement of the conflict, and encourages the Secretary-General tointensify his efforts, with the assistance of the Russian Federation asfacilitator, and with the support of the Organization for Security andCooperation in Europe (OSCE), to that end;

5. Calls upon the parties, in particular the Abkhaz side, to achievesubstantive progress without further delay towards a comprehensive politicalsettlement, and further calls upon them to cooperate fully with the effortsundertaken by the Secretary-General, with the assistance of the RussianFederation as facilitator;

6. Reaffirms the right of all refugees and displaced persons affected bythe conflict to return to their homes in secure conditions in accordance with international law and as set out in the Quadripartite Agreement of 14 April 1994on voluntary return of refugees and displaced persons (S/1994/397, annex II),condemns the continued obstruction of that return by the Abkhaz side, and stresses the unacceptability of any linkage of the return of refugees anddisplaced persons with the question of the political status of Abkhazia,Georgia;

7. Demands that the Abkhaz side accelerate significantly the process ofvoluntary return of refugees and displaced persons without delay orpreconditions, in particular by accepting a timetable on the basis of thatproposed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees(UNHCR), and further demands that it guarantee the safety of spontaneousreturnees already in the area and regularize their status in cooperation withthe UNHCR and in accordance with the Quadripartite Agreement, in particular inthe Gali region;

8. Recalls the conclusions of the Budapest summit of the Conference onSecurity and Cooperation in Europe (S/1994/1435, annex) regarding the situationin Abkhazia, Georgia, and affirms the unacceptability of the demographic changesresulting from the conflict;

9. Condemns ethnically motivated killings and other ethnically relatedacts of violence;

10. Condemns the laying of mines in the Gali region, which has already caused several deaths and injuries among the civilian population and the peace-keepers and observers of the international community, and calls upon the partiesto take all measures in their power to prevent mine laying and to cooperatefully with UNOMIG and the CIS peace-keeping force in order to honour theircommitments to ensure the safety and the freedom of movement of all personnel ofthe United Nations, the CIS peace-keeping force and international humanitarian organizations;

11. Encourages the Secretary-General to take the necessary steps inresponse to the threat posed by the laying of mines in order to improve securityconditions so as to minimize the danger to UNOMIG personnel and to createconditions for the effective performance of its mandate;

12. Decides to extend the mandate of UNOMIG for an additional period terminating on 31 January 1997 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 of the CISpeace-keeping force;

13. Expresses its full support for the implementation of a concrete programme for the protection and promotion of human rights in Abkhazia, Georgia,and requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council by 15 August 1996 onpossible arrangements for the establishment of a human rights office in Sukhumi;

14. Reiterates its encouragement to States to contribute to the voluntary fund in support of the implementation of the Agreement on a Cease-fire andSeparation of Forces signed in Moscow on 14 May 1994 and/or for humanitarianaspects including demining, as specified by the donors;

15. 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 politicalnegotiations;

16. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to keep the Council regularly informed and to report after three months from the date of the adoption of this resolution on the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia, including the operations of UNOMIG;

17. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

Adopted by the Security Council at its 3680th meeting,on 12 July 1996.