United Nations Security Council Resolution 1339 – Georgia
Resolution 1339 (2001)
The Security Council,
Recalling all its relevant resolutions, in particular resolution 1311 (2000) of 28July 2000, and the statement of its President of 14 November 2000 (S/PRST/2000/32),
Having considered the report of the Secretary-General of 18 January 2001(S/2001/59),
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,
Stressing that the continued lack of progress on key issues of a comprehensive settlement of the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia, is unacceptable,
Deeply concerned that, although currently mostly calm, the general situation inthe conflict zone remains very volatile,
Noting the holding of the twelfth session of the Coordinating Council of theGeorgian and Abkhaz sides on 23 January 2001,
Recalling the relevant principles contained in the Convention on the Safety Of United Nations and Associated Personnel adopted on 9 December 1994,
Welcoming the important contributions that the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) and the Collective Peacekeeping Forces of the Commonwealth Of Independent States (CIS peacekeeping force) continue to make in stabilizing the situation in the zone of conflict, noting that the working relationship between UNOMIG and the CIS peacekeeping force has remained very close, and stressing the importanceof close cooperation between them in the performance of their respective mandates,
- Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General of 18 January 2001;
2. Strongly supports the sustained efforts of the Secretary-General and hisSpecial Representative, with the assistance of the Russian Federation in its capacityas facilitator as well as of the Group of Friends of the Secretary-General and of theOSCE, to promote the stabilization of the situation and the achievement of acomprehensive political settlement, which must include a settlement of the politicalstatus of Abkhazia within the State of Georgia;
3. Strongly supports, in particular, the intention of the SpecialRepresentative to submit, in the near future, the draft paper containing specificproposals to the parties on the question of the distribution of constitutionalcompetences between Tbilisi and Sukhumi as a basis for meaningful negotiations;
4. Stresses the need to accelerate work on the draft protocol on the return ofthe refugees to the Gali region and measures for economic rehabilitation, as well ason the draft agreement on peace and guarantees for the prevention and for the non-resumption of hostilities;
5. Calls upon the parties, in particular the Abkhaz side, to undertakeimmediate efforts to move beyond the impasse and to engage into negotiations onthe core political questions of the conflict and all other outstanding issues in theUnited Nations-led peace process;
6. Welcomes the readiness of the Government of Ukraine to host the thirdmeeting on confidence-building measures, welcomes also the commitment of bothsides to the conflict to meet in Yalta in March 2001, and notes the importantcontribution a successful conference would make to the peace process;
7. Reaffirms the unacceptability of the demographic changes resulting from the conflict, and reaffirms also the inalienable right of all refugees and displacedpersons affected by the conflict to return to their homes in secure and dignifiedconditions, in accordance with international law and as set out in the QuadripartiteAgreement of 4 April 1994 (S/1994/397, annex II);
8. Urges the parties, in this context, to address urgently and in a concertedmanner, as a first step, the undefined and insecure status of spontaneous returnees tothe Gali district, which remains an issue of serious concern;
9. Expresses its satisfaction with the joint assessment mission to the Galidistrict, carried out under the aegis of the United Nations, and looks forward to thecareful consideration of the mission’s recommendations regarding human rights, lawenforcement and education;
10. Condemns all violations of the Moscow Agreement of 14 May 1994 on aCeasefire and Separation of Forces (S/1994/583, annex I), and notes with particularconcern the Abkhaz military exercise conducted in November 2000;
11. Deplores the rise in criminality and activities of armed groups in theconflict zone, which constitutes a major destabilizing factor affecting the overallsituation, calls upon the parties to increase their efforts at curbing them and tocooperate in good faith using the means provided by the Coordinating Councilmechanism, condemns the recent killings of civilians and Abkhaz militiamen, andcalls upon both sides, in particular the Georgian side, to investigate these incidentsand bring to justice those responsible;
12. Condemns the abduction of two UNOMIG military observers on 10December 2000, recalls that the Georgian and the Abkhaz sides bear the primaryresponsibility for the security of UNOMIG, the CIS peacekeeping force and otherinternational personnel, and appeals to them to bring to justice the perpetrators ofthe hostage-taking incidents of October 1999, June 2000 and December 2000;
13. Calls upon the parties to ensure security and freedom of movement of theUnited Nations and other international personnel;
14. Welcomes UNOMIG keeping its security arrangements under constantreview in order to ensure the highest possible level of security for its staff;
15. Decides to extend the mandate of UNOMIG for a new period terminatingon 31 July 2001, 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 of theCIS peacekeeping force, and expresses its intention to conduct a thorough review ofthe operation at the end of its current mandate, in the light of steps taken by theparties to achieve a comprehensive settlement;
16. 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, and requests also the Secretary-General to provide for a briefing within three months on the progress of the political settlement,including on the status of the draft paper his Special Representative intends tosubmit to the parties as referred to in paragraph 3 above;
17. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.
Adopted by the Security Council at its 4269th meeting, on 31 January 2001.
