Protocol of the sixth session of the Coordinating Council of the Georgian and Abkhaz sides
Export agreement coding (PDF)- Country/entityGeorgia
Abkhazia - RegionEurope and Eurasia
Europe and Eurasia - Agreement nameProtocol of the sixth session of the Coordinating Council of the Georgian and Abkhaz sides
- Date18 Dec 1998
- Agreement statusMultiparty signed/agreed
- Interim arrangementYes
- Agreement/conflict levelIntrastate/intrastate conflict ( )
- StagePre-negotiation/process
- Conflict natureGovernment/territory
- Peace processAbkhazia peace process
- PartiesThe Georgian side was represented by the delegation led by Mr. Vazha Lordkipanidze.
The Abkhaz side was represented by the delegation led by Mr. Sergei Bagapsh. - Third partiesUN (Chair), Russian Federation (Facilitator), OSCE, Group of Friends of the UNSG (France, Germany, Russian Federation, UK, US) as observers
- DescriptionMeeting taking place against backdrop of rapidly deteriorating security situation (preamble). Adopted agenda of non-resumption of hostilities and security problems, refugees and IDPs, and economic and social problems. Parties commit to decisive measures to implement commitments.
- Agreement document
Groups
- Children/youth
No specific mention.
- Disabled persons
No specific mention.
- Elderly/age
No specific mention.
- Migrant workers
No specific mention.
- Racial/ethnic/national group
No specific mention.
- Religious groups
No specific mention.
- Indigenous people
No specific mention.
- Other groups
No specific mention.
- Refugees/displaced personsGroups→Refugees/displaced persons→RhetoricalPage 2, The Abkhaz side stated that it is unilaterally starting the process of return of refugees to the Gali district and called on the United Nations, the Russian Federation in its capacity as facilitator, the OSCE, the states belonging to the Group of Friends of the Secretary-General as well as the Georgian side to contribute to this process.
Page 2, The Georgian side noted that the statement by the Abkhaz side on the so called unilateral return of refugees is of a purely declarative nature and in reality does not give an opportunity to implement genuinely the process of return of refugees and displaced persons, since it is well known that the organisation of this process is impossible without creating appropriate required mechanisms and guarantees in which the Georgian side and the international community should take a most active part. - Social class
No specific mention.
Gender
- Women, girls and gender
No specific mention.
- Men and boys
No specific mention.
- LGBTI
No specific mention.
- Family
No specific mention.
State definition
- Nature of state (general)
No specific mention.
- State configuration
No specific mention.
- Self determination
No specific mention.
- Referendum
No specific mention.
- State symbols
No specific mention.
- Independence/secession
No specific mention.
- Accession/unification
No specific mention.
- Border delimitation
No specific mention.
- Cross-border provision
No specific mention.
Governance
- Political institutions (new or reformed)
No specific mention.
- Elections
No specific mention.
- Electoral commission
No specific mention.
- Political parties reform
No specific mention.
- Civil society
No specific mention.
- Traditional/religious leaders
No specific mention.
- Public administration
No specific mention.
- Constitution
No specific mention.
Power sharing
- Political power sharing
No specific mention.
- Territorial power sharing
No specific mention.
- Economic power sharing
No specific mention.
- Military power sharing
No specific mention.
Human rights and equality
- Human rights/RoL general
No specific mention.
- Bill of rights/similar
No specific mention.
- Treaty incorporation
No specific mention.
- Civil and political rights
No specific mention.
- Socio-economic rights
No specific mention.
Rights related issues
- Citizenship
No specific mention.
- Democracy
No specific mention.
- Detention procedures
No specific mention.
- Media and communication
No specific mention.
- Mobility/access
No specific mention.
- Protection measures
No specific mention.
- Other
No specific mention.
Rights institutions
- NHRI
No specific mention.
- Regional or international human rights institutions
No specific mention.
Justice sector reform
- Criminal justice and emergency law
No specific mention.
- State of emergency provisions
No specific mention.
- Judiciary and courts
No specific mention.
- Prisons and detention
No specific mention.
- Traditional Laws
No specific mention.
Socio-economic reconstruction
- Development or socio-economic reconstruction
No specific mention.
- National economic plan
No specific mention.
- Natural resources
No specific mention.
- International funds
No specific mention.
- Business
No specific mention.
- Taxation
No specific mention.
- Banks
No specific mention.
Land, property and environment
- Land reform/rights
No specific mention.
- Pastoralist/nomadism rights
No specific mention.
- Cultural heritage
No specific mention.
- Environment
No specific mention.
- Water or riparian rights or access
No specific mention.
Security sector
- Security GuaranteesPage 1, Opening the Session, the Special Representative noted that following and facilitated by the Athens Meeting of the Georgian and Abkhaz Sides on Confidence-Building Measures , held from 16 to 18 October 1998 , the sides actively engaged in productive bilateral talks on issues related to: 1) security and the non-use of force, ...
Page 1, The Special Representative continued that this Council session takes place against the backdrop of a rapidly deteriorating security situation on the ground in the zone of conflict. The situation is extremely dangerous and there is a real risk that the May events might be repeated.
Page 1, The adopted agenda included the following items:
1. Issues related to the lasting non-resumption of hostilities and to security problems . - CeasefireSecurity sector→Ceasefire→Ceasefire provisionPage 2, The Council adopted the following decisions:
... 3. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, should the sides ignore protests concerning violations of the Moscow Agreement on a Ceasefire and Separation of Forces, shall inform the Secretary-General of the United Nations, as provided for by the Protocol of the Fifth Session of the Council regarding responses to the protests of the representatives of UNOMIG and the CIS peacekeeping force, so that the Secretary-General may put this question far consideration by the Security Council. - Police
No specific mention.
- Armed forces
No specific mention.
- DDR
No specific mention.
- Intelligence services
No specific mention.
- Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces
No specific mention.
- Withdrawal of foreign forces
No specific mention.
- Corruption
No specific mention.
- Crime/organised crime
No specific mention.
- Drugs
No specific mention.
- TerrorismPage 2, The Council adopted the following decisions:
2. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations shall continue and complete consultations with the Sides on the establishment of the Joint Group on Investigation and Prevention of Terrorist Acts and Other Offences, in accordance with the Council's decisions contained in the Protocol of the Fourth (Second Extraordinary) Session (para. 2) and the Protocol of the Fifth Session (para. 2).
Transitional justice
- Transitional justice general
No specific mention.
- Amnesty/pardon
No specific mention.
- Courts
No specific mention.
- Mechanism
No specific mention.
- Prisoner release
No specific mention.
- Vetting
No specific mention.
- Victims
No specific mention.
- Missing persons
No specific mention.
- Reparations
No specific mention.
- ReconciliationPage 1, ... While not suggesting that either side failed to negotiate in bona tide, the Special Representative noted that it seems that some misunderstandings arose and the talks stalled. Nevertheless, in the opinion of the Special Representative, the positions of the parties on the specific issues dividing them are not irreconcilable, and there is room for the talks to continue.
Implementation
- UN signatoryUN chaired talks; 2. SRSG to continue consultations on establihsing Joint Group on investigation and Prevention of Terrorist acts and other Offences. 3. If sides don't respond to protests concerning ceasefire violations, matter to be referred to UNSC.
- Other international signatorywith the participation of representatives of the Russian Federation in its capacity as facilitator, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe(OSCE), and the States in the group of Friends of the Secretary-General of the United Nations - France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America - as observers
- Referendum for agreement
No specific mention.
- International mission/force/similarPage 2, The Council adopted the following decisions:
... 3. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, should the sides ignore protests concerning violations of the Moscow Agreement on a Ceasefire and Separation of Forces, shall inform the Secretary-General of the United Nations, as provided for by the Protocol of the Fifth Session of the Council regarding responses to the protests of the representatives of UNOMIG and the CIS peacekeeping force, so that the Secretary-General may put this question far consideration by the Security Council. - Enforcement mechanismPage 2, The Council adopted the following decisions:
2. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations shall continue and complete consultations with the Sides on the establishment of the Joint Group on Investigation and Prevention of Terrorist Acts and Other Offences, in accordance with the Council's decisions contained in the Protocol of the Fourth (Second Extraordinary) Session (para. 2) and the Protocol of the Fifth Session (para. 2).
Page 2, The Council adopted the following decisions:
... 3. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, should the sides ignore protests concerning violations of the Moscow Agreement on a Ceasefire and Separation of Forces, shall inform the Secretary-General of the United Nations, as provided for by the Protocol of the Fifth Session of the Council regarding responses to the protests of the representatives of UNOMIG and the CIS peacekeeping force, so that the Secretary-General may put this question far consideration by the Security Council.
Page 2-3, The Council adopted the following decisions:
... 4. To convene expeditiously, not later than 22 December, in the Gali district, a meeting of authorized representatives of the sides in order to prevent destabilization of the situation in the zone of conflict, to agree on and take effective measures for the implementation of earlier bilateral agreements contained in the Protocol on the Ceasefire and Separation of Armed Units and Guarantees for the Prevention of Acts involving Force of 25 May 1998 and in the Protocol of the Meeting of the Georgian and Abkhaz Sides on the Stabilization of the Situation along the Line of Separation of Sides, signed in Sukhumi 24 September 1998. - Related cases
No specific mention.
- Sourceon file with author
Page 1, The Sixth Session of the Coordinating Council established on the basis of the Concluding Statement on the Results of the Geneva Meeting of the Georgian awl Abkbaz Sides, held from 17 to 19 1997, took place as an exception in Geneva 17-18 under the aegis of the United Nations and under the chairmanship of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Mr. Liviu Bota, awl with the participation of representatives of the Russian Federation in its capacity as facilitator, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe(OSCE), and the States in the group of Friends of the Secretary-General of the United Nations - France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America - as observers.
The Georgian side was represented by the delegation led by Mr. Vazha Lordkipanidze.
The Abkhaz side was represented by the delegation led by Mr. Sergei Bagapsh.
Opening the Session, the Special Representative noted that following and facilitated by the Athens Meeting of the Georgian and Abkhaz Sides on Confidence-Building Measures , held from 16 to 18 October 1998 , the sides actively engaged in productive bilateral talks on issues related to:
1) security and the non-use of force, 2) the return of refugees, and 3) measures for the economic rehabilitation of Abkhazia.
While not suggesting that either side failed to negotiate in bana tide, the Special Representative noted that it seems that some misunderstandings arose and the talks stalled.
Nevertheless, in the opinion of the Special Representative, the positions of the parties on the specific issues dividing them are not irreconcilable, and there is room for the talks to continue.
The Special Representative continued that this Council session takes place against the backdrop of a rapidly deteriorating security situation on the ground in the zone of conflict.
The situation is extremely dangerous and there is a real risk that the May events might be repeated.
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations invited the delegations of the sides and the participants of the Session, in approaching the discussion of the items on the agenda, to take into account the above-mentioned circumstances and to consider the gravity of the situation and the importance of the present moment.
The adopted agenda included the following items:
1. Issues related to the lasting non-resumption of hostilities and to security problems .
Page 2, 2.
Refugees and internally displaced persons.
3. Economic and social problems.
The representatives of the sides, the Russian Federation in its capacity as facilitator, the OSCE and the Group of Friends of the Secretary-General of the United Nations made statements.
The Chief Military Observer of UNOMIG General Tariq Ghazi, the representative of UNHCR Mr. Soren Jessen-Petersen, and the representative of UNDP Mr. Marco Borsotti also took part in the discussion of the agenda.
The Abkhaz side stated that it is unilateraly starting the process of return of refugees to the Gali district and called on the United Nations, the Russian Federation in its capacity as facilitator, the OSCE, the states belonging to the Group of Friends of the Secretary-General as well as the Georgian side to contribute to this process.
The Georgian side noted that the statement by the Abkhaz side on the so called unilateral return of refugees3 is of a purely declarative nature and in reality does not give an opportunity to implement genuinely the process of return of refugees and displaced persons, since it is well known that the organisation of this process is impossible without creating appropriate required mechanisms and guarantees in which the Georgian side and the international community should take a most active part.
The sides made statements m connection with the emerging danger of destabilization of the situation in the zone of conflict (attached) .
The Council adopted the following decisions:
1. The sides shall immediately take decisive measures such that their corresponding bodies of executive power will fully implement the decisions taken earlier by the Coordinating Council aimed at easing tensions and the normalization of the situation in the Gail district, particularly those provided for by the Protocol of the Fourth (Second Extraordinary) Session (pan.
1), the Protocol of the Fifth Session (paras.
la, lb.
le) and the Annex thereto.
2. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations shall continue and complete consultations with the Sides on the establishment of the Joint Group on Investigation and Prevention of Terrorist Acts and Other Offences, in accordance with the Council's decisions contained in the Protocol of the Fourth (Second Extraordinary) Session (para.
2) and the Protocol of the Fifth Session (para.
2).
3. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, should the sides ignore protests concerning violations of the Moscow Agreement on a Ceasefire and Separation of Forces, shall inform the Secretary-General of the United Nations, as provided for by the Protocol of the Fifth Session of the Council regarding responses to the protests of the representatives of UNOMIG and the CIS peacekeeping force, so that the Secretary-General may put this question far consideration by the Security Council.
Page 2-3, 4.
To convene expeditiously, not later than 22 December, in the Gali district, a meeting of authorized representatives of the sides in order to prevent destabilization of the situation in the zone of conflict, to agree on and take effective measures for the implementation of earlier bilateral agreements contained in the Protocol on the Ceasefire and Separation of Armed Units and Guarantees for the Prevention of Acts involving Force of 25 May 1998 and in the Protocol of the Meeting of the Georgian and Abkhaz Sides on the Stabilization of the Situation along the Line of Separation of Sides, signed in Sukhumi 24 September 1998.
Page 3, The participants of the session took note of the invitations of the Governments of both Turkey and Ukraine to host High-level Meetings in their respective countries, within the framework of the Geneva peace process.