United Nations Security Council Resolution 1225 – Georgia
Resolution 1225 (1999)
The Security Council,
Recalling all its relevant resolutions, in particular resolution1187 (1998) of 30 July 1998, and the statement of its President of 25 November 1998 (S/PRST/1998/34),
Having considered the report of the Secretary-General of 20 January 1999(S/1999/60),
Noting the letter of the President of Georgia to the President of the Security Council dated 22 January 1999 (S/1999/71, annex),
Deeply concerned at the continuing tense and unstable situation in the conflict zone and at the risk of resumed fighting,
Deeply concerned also at the continued deadlock in achieving acomprehensive settlement of the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia,
Welcoming in this context the contribution that the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) and the Collective Peacekeeping Forces of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS peacekeeping force) have made tostabilizing the situation in the zone of conflict, noting that the working relationship between UNOMIG and the CIS peacekeeping force has been good at all levels, and stressing the importance of continued close cooperation and coordination between them in the performance of their respective mandates,
Recalling the conclusions of the Lisbon summit of the Organization forSecurity and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) (S/1997/57, annex) regarding the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia,
Reaffirming the necessity for the parties strictly to respect human rights,expressing its support for the efforts of the Secretary-General to find ways to improve their observance as an integral part of the work towards a comprehensive political settlement, and noting developments in the work of the United Nations Human Rights Office in Abkhazia, Georgia,
- Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General of 20 January 1999;
2. Expresses its concern at the failure of the parties to conclude, afterbilateral contacts and the Athens meeting of 16-18 October 1998 on confidence-building measures, agreements on security and the non-use of force, the returnof refugees and displaced persons and economic reconstruction, and urges theparties to resume bilateral negotiations to this end;
3. Demands that both sides widen their commitment to the United Nations-led peace process, continue to seek and engage in dialogue, expand theircontacts at all levels and display without delay the necessary will to achievesubstantial results on the key issues of the negotiations, and underlines thenecessity for the parties to achieve an early and comprehensive politicalsettlement, which includes a settlement on the political status of Abkhaziawithin the State of Georgia, which fully respects the sovereignty andterritorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders;
4. Emphasizes, in this context, that the readiness and ability of theinternational community to assist the parties depend on their political will toresolve the conflict through dialogue and mutual accommodation and on theiracting in good faith to implement promptly concrete measures towards bringingabout a comprehensive political settlement of the conflict;
5. Strongly supports the sustained efforts made by the Secretary-Generaland his Special Representative with the assistance of the Russian Federation inits capacity as facilitator as well as of the Group of Friends of the Secretary-General and of the OSCE to prevent hostilities and to give a new impetus to thenegotiations within the United Nations-led peace process in order to achieve acomprehensive political settlement, and welcomes, in this context, the intentionof the Secretary-General to propose a strengthening of the civilian component ofUNOMIG;
6. Demands that both sides observe strictly the Moscow Agreement of14 May 1994 on a Ceasefire and Separation of Forces (S/1994/583, annex I) andall their obligations to refrain from the use of force and to resolve disputed issues by peaceful means only, and calls upon them to display greater resolveand willingness to make the Joint Investigation Group functional;
7. Expresses its continuing concern at the situation of refugees anddisplaced persons, resulting most recently from the hostilities of May 1998,reaffirms the unacceptability of the demographic changes resulting from theconflict and the imprescriptible right of all refugees and displaced personsaffected by the conflict to return to their homes in secure conditions inaccordance with international law and as set out in the Quadripartite Agreementof 4 April 1994 on the voluntary return of refugees and displaced persons(S/1994/397, annex II), and calls upon the parties to address this issueurgently by agreeing and implementing effective measures to guarantee thesecurity of those who exercise their unconditional right to return;
8. Welcomes, in this context, the efforts of the Special Representativeof the Secretary-General to facilitate, as a first step, the safe return ofrefugees and displaced persons to the Gali region, and calls upon the parties toresume and intensify their bilateral dialogue to this end;
9. Condemns the activities by armed groups, including the continuedlaying of mines, which endanger the civilian population, impede the work of thehumanitarian organizations and seriously delay the normalization of thesituation in the Gali region, and deplores the lack of serious efforts made bythe parties to bring an end to those activities;
10. Reiterates its demand that both sides take immediate and determinedmeasures to put a stop to such acts and ensure that the security environment ofall international personnel improves significantly, and welcomes the first stepstaken in this regard;
11. Reiterates also its deep concern regarding the security of UNOMIG,welcomes the implementation of measures in this regard and requests theSecretary-General to keep the security of UNOMIG under constant review;
12. Decides to extend the mandate of UNOMIG for a new period terminatingon 31 July 1999, subject to a review by the Council of the mandate of UNOMIG inthe event of any changes that may be made in the mandate or in the presence ofthe CIS peacekeeping force;
13. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to keep the Councilregularly informed and to report after three months from the date of theadoption of this resolution on the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia;
14. Expresses its intention to conduct a thorough review of the operationat the end of its current mandate, in the light of steps taken by the parties toachieve a comprehensive settlement;
15. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.
Adopted by the Security Council at its 3972nd meeting,on 28 January 1999.
