The Bishkek Memorandum
- Country/entityTajikistan
- RegionEurope and Eurasia
- Agreement nameThe Bishkek Memorandum
- Date18 May 1997
- Agreement statusMultiparty signed/agreed
- Interim arrangementYes
- Agreement/conflict levelIntrastate/intrastate conflict ()
- StagePre-negotiation/process
- Conflict natureGovernment
- Peace processTajikistan peace process
- Parties(Signed) E. RAKHMONOV President of the Republic of Tajikistan
(Signed) A. NURI Leader of the United Tajik Opposition - Third parties(Signed) G. MERREM Special Representative of the Secretary-General
- DescriptionMemorandum between the leaders accompanying Protocol on Political Issues and the Protocol on Military Issues. Agreed that the Commission on National reconciliation would immediately begin its work. Includes Protocol on Political Issues (18/05/1997)which is coded separately.
- 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 persons
No specific mention.
- 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)Governance→Political institutions (new or reformed)→General referencesPage 4, Annex II, para 2
In this context, the next serious step forward was taken in solving the problems on the agenda of the inter-Tajik talks - a protocol on political questions was signed, which includes agreements on such basic issues as the adoption of the reciprocal-pardon act and the amnesty act; the inclusion of 25 per cent of the representatives of the United Tajik Opposition as members of the Central Electoral Commission for a transitional period; reforming the Government by including Opposition representatives in it on the basis of a quota; lifting the bans on activities by the political parties and movements of the United Tajik Opposition and the mass information media after the completion of the second phase in the implementation of the Protocol on Military Questions. In the context of the provisions of the Protocol on Military Questions, agreement was also reached on deploying in Dushanbe a contingent of the armed units of the United Tajik Opposition numbering 460 persons and also 40 persons to protect the members of the Commission on National Reconciliation. - Elections
No specific mention.
- Electoral commissionPage 4, Annex II, para 2
In this context, the next serious step forward was taken in solving the problems on the agenda of the inter-Tajik talks - a protocol on political questions was signed, which includes agreements on such basic issues as the adoption of the reciprocal-pardon act and the amnesty act; the inclusion of 25 per cent of the representatives of the United Tajik Opposition as members of the Central Electoral Commission for a transitional period; reforming the Government by including Opposition representatives in it on the basis of a quota; lifting the bans on activities by the political parties and movements of the United Tajik Opposition and the mass information media after the completion of the second phase in the implementation of the Protocol on Military Questions. In the context of the provisions of the Protocol on Military Questions, agreement was also reached on deploying in Dushanbe a contingent of the armed units of the United Tajik Opposition numbering 460 persons and also 40 persons to protect the members of the Commission on National Reconciliation. - Political parties reformGovernance→Political parties reform→Other political parties reformPage 4, Annex II, para 2
In this context, the next serious step forward was taken in solving the problems on the agenda of the inter-Tajik talks - a protocol on political questions was signed, which includes agreements on such basic issues as the adoption of the reciprocal-pardon act and the amnesty act; the inclusion of 25 per cent of the representatives of the United Tajik Opposition as members of the Central Electoral Commission for a transitional period; reforming the Government by including Opposition representatives in it on the basis of a quota; lifting the bans on activities by the political parties and movements of the United Tajik Opposition and the mass information media after the completion of the second phase in the implementation of the Protocol on Military Questions. In the context of the provisions of the Protocol on Military Questions, agreement was also reached on deploying in Dushanbe a contingent of the armed units of the United Tajik Opposition numbering 460 persons and also 40 persons to protect the members of the Commission on National Reconciliation. - Civil society
No specific mention.
- Traditional/religious leaders
No specific mention.
- Public administration
No specific mention.
- Constitution
No specific mention.
Power sharing
- Political power sharingPower sharing→Political power sharing→GeneralState levelPage 4, Annex II, para 2
In this context, the next serious step forward was taken in solving the problems on the agenda of the inter-Tajik talks - a protocol on political questions was signed, which includes agreements on such basic issues as the adoption of the reciprocal-pardon act and the amnesty act; the inclusion of 25 per cent of the representatives of the United Tajik Opposition as members of the Central Electoral Commission for a transitional period; reforming the Government by including Opposition representatives in it on the basis of a quota; lifting the bans on activities by the political parties and movements of the United Tajik Opposition and the mass information media after the completion of the second phase in the implementation of the Protocol on Military Questions. In the context of the provisions of the Protocol on Military Questions, agreement was also reached on deploying in Dushanbe a contingent of the armed units of the United Tajik Opposition numbering 460 persons and also 40 persons to protect the members of the Commission on National Reconciliation. - 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 communicationRights related issues→Media and communication→Media rolesPage 4, Annex II, para 2
In this context, the next serious step forward was taken in solving the problems on the agenda of the inter-Tajik talks - a protocol on political questions was signed, which includes agreements on such basic issues as the adoption of the reciprocal-pardon act and the amnesty act; the inclusion of 25 per cent of the representatives of the United Tajik Opposition as members of the Central Electoral Commission for a transitional period; reforming the Government by including Opposition representatives in it on the basis of a quota; lifting the bans on activities by the political parties and movements of the United Tajik Opposition and the mass information media after the completion of the second phase in the implementation of the Protocol on Military Questions. In the context of the provisions of the Protocol on Military Questions, agreement was also reached on deploying in Dushanbe a contingent of the armed units of the United Tajik Opposition numbering 460 persons and also 40 persons to protect the members of the Commission on National Reconciliation.Page 2, para 2
In this context, the next serious step forward was taken in solving the problems on the agenda of the inter-Tajik talks - a protocol on political questions was signed, which includes agreements on such basic issues as the adoption of the reciprocal-pardon act and the amnesty act; the inclusion of 25 per cent of the representatives of the United Tajik Opposition as members of the Central Electoral Commission for a transitional period; reforming the Government by including Opposition representatives in it on the basis of a quota; lifting the bans on activities by the political parties and movements of the United Tajik Opposition and the mass information media after the completion of the second phase in the implementation of the Protocol on Military Questions. In the context of the provisions of the Protocol on Military Questions, agreement was also reached on deploying in Dushanbe a contingent of the armed units of the United Tajik Opposition numbering 460 persons and also 40 persons to protect the members of the Commission on National Reconciliation. - 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 Guarantees
No specific mention.
- Ceasefire
No specific mention.
- Police
No specific mention.
- Armed forces
No specific mention.
- DDR
No specific mention.
- Intelligence services
No specific mention.
- Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forcesPage 4, ANNEX II, para 2
... In the context of the provisions of the Protocol on Military Questions, agreement was also reached on deploying in Dushanbe a contingent of the armed units of the United Tajik Opposition numbering 460 persons and also 40 persons to protect the members of the Commission on National Reconciliation. - Withdrawal of foreign forces
No specific mention.
- Corruption
No specific mention.
- Crime/organised crime
No specific mention.
- Drugs
No specific mention.
- Terrorism
No specific mention.
Transitional justice
- Transitional justice general
No specific mention.
- Amnesty/pardonTransitional justice→Amnesty/pardon→Amnesty/pardon properPage 4, Annex II, para 2
In this context, the next serious step forward was taken in solving the problems on the agenda of the inter-Tajik talks - a protocol on political questions was signed, which includes agreements on such basic issues as the adoption of the reciprocal-pardon act and the amnesty act; the inclusion of 25 per cent of the representatives of the United Tajik Opposition as members of the Central Electoral Commission for a transitional period; reforming the Government by including Opposition representatives in it on the basis of a quota; lifting the bans on activities by the political parties and movements of the United Tajik Opposition and the mass information media after the completion of the second phase in the implementation of the Protocol on Military Questions. In the context of the provisions of the Protocol on Military Questions, agreement was also reached on deploying in Dushanbe a contingent of the armed units of the United Tajik Opposition numbering 460 persons and also 40 persons to protect the members of the Commission on National Reconciliation. - Courts
No specific mention.
- Mechanism
No specific mention.
- Prisoner releasePage 4, Annex II, para 3
The President of the Republic of Tajikistan and the leader of the United Tajik Opposition agreed in subsequent talks held in Tehran and Moscow to solve the problem of exchanging prisoners of war and imprisoned persons in all its aspects and devise an appropriate mechanism for that purpose. - Vetting
No specific mention.
- Victims
No specific mention.
- Missing persons
No specific mention.
- Reparations
No specific mention.
- ReconciliationPage 4, Annex II, para 4
The President of the Republic of Tajikistan and the leader of the United Tajik Opposition agreed that, as a result of the Bishkek meeting, the obstacles that had arisen recently in the negotiation process had been eliminated and the prerequisites for successfully continuing the talks had been met. They agreed that the Commission on National Reconciliation would begin its work immediately after the signing of the general agreement on peace and national accord in Tajikistan.
Implementation
- UN signatory(Signed) G. MERREM Special Representative of the Secretary-General.
- Other international signatory
No specific mention.
- Referendum for agreement
No specific mention.
- International mission/force/similar
No specific mention.
- Enforcement mechanism
No specific mention.
- Related cases
No specific mention.
- SourceConciliation Resources Accord
http://www.c-r.org/accord-article/key-texts-accord-tajikistan
Bishkek Memorandum, signed in Bishkek on 18 May 1997
The President of the Republic of Tajikistan, E. S. Rakhmonov, and the leader of the United Tajik Opposition, S. A. Nuri, met from 16 to 18 May 1997 in the capital of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, in order to conduct an in-depth discussion of the issues being considered within the framework of the inter-Tajik talks.
The President of the Republic of Tajikistan and the leader of the United Tajik Opposition, who are committed to the highest national interests of the
Tajik people, unanimously agreed that the previous negotiation process and the agreements concluded during it constitute a solid basis for bringing the political situation in the Republic to the level of peaceful, creative development.
In this context, the next serious step forward was taken in
solving the problems on the agenda of the inter-Tajik talks - a protocol on political questions was signed, which includes agreements on such basic issues as the adoption of the reciprocal-pardon act and the amnesty act;
the inclusion of 25 per cent of the representatives of the United Tajik Opposition as members of the Central Electoral Commission for a transitional period;
reforming the Government by including Opposition representatives in it on the basis of a quota;
lifting the bans on activities by the political parties and movements of the United Tajik Opposition and the mass information media after the completion of the second phase in the implementation of the Protocol on Military Questions.
In the context of the provisions of the Protocol on Military Questions, agreement was also reached on deploying in Dushanbe a contingent of the armed units of the United Tajik Opposition numbering 460 persons and also 40 persons to protect the members of the Commission on National Reconciliation.
The President of the Republic of Tajikistan and the leader of the United Tajik Opposition agreed in subsequent talks held in Tehran and Moscow to solve the problem of exchanging prisoners of war and imprisoned persons in all its aspects and devise an appropriate mechanism for that purpose.
The President of the Republic of Tajikistan and the leader of the United Tajik Opposition agreed that, as a result of the Bishkek meeting, the obstacles that had arisen recently in the negotiation process had been eliminated and the prerequisites for successfully continuing the talks had been met.
They agreed that the Commission on National Reconciliation would begin its work immediately after the signing of the general agreement on peace and national accord in Tajikistan.
The President of the Republic of Tajikistan, E. Rakhmonov, the leader of the United Tajik Opposition, S. A. Nuri, and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Tajikistan, G. Merrem, expressed their profound appreciation to the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, A. Akaev, and the people of Kyrgyzstan for their hospitality and cordiality, the outstanding organization of the talks and the active assistance provided for their fruitful completion.
(Signed) E. RAKHMONOV President of the Republic
(Signed) A. NURI Leader of the United of Tajikistan Tajik Opposition
(Signed) G. MERREM Special Representative of the Secretary-General