UNITED NATIONS
Security Council

S
Distr. GENERAL S/RES/1065 (1996) 12 July 1996

RESOLUTION 1065 (1996)
Adopted by the Security Council at its 3680th meeting, on 12 July 1996
The Security Council,
Reaffirming all its relevant resolutions, in particular resolution 1036 (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 resolve their 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 territorial integrity 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 the parties 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,

96-17321 (E)

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Deeply concerned at the deterioration of the security conditions in the Gali region and of the safety and security of the local population, of the refugees and displaced persons returning to the region and of UNOMIG and CIS peace-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 of 17 May 1996 (S/1996/371, annex I),
Noting that the Heads of State of the CIS will consider the extension of the 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 to achieve 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 necessity of defining the status of Abkhazia in strict accordance with these principles, and underlines the unacceptability of any action by the Abkhaz leadership in contravention of these principles;
4. Reaffirms its full support for the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Special Envoy aimed at achieving a comprehensive political settlement of the conflict, including on the political status of Abkhazia within the State of Georgia, respecting fully the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, as well as for the efforts that are being undertaken by the Russian Federation in its capacity as facilitator to continue to intensify the search for a peaceful settlement of the conflict, and encourages the Secretary-General to intensify his efforts, with the assistance of the Russian Federation as facilitator, and with the support of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), to that end;
5. Calls upon the parties, in particular the Abkhaz side, to achieve substantive progress without further delay towards a comprehensive political settlement, and further calls upon them to cooperate fully with the efforts undertaken by the Secretary-General, with the assistance of the Russian Federation as facilitator;
6. Reaffirms the right of all refugees and displaced persons affected by the 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 1994 on voluntary return of refugees and displaced persons (S/1994/397, annex II), condemns the continued obstruction of that return by the Abkhaz side, and
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stresses the unacceptability of any linkage of the return of refugees and displaced persons with the question of the political status of Abkhazia, Georgia;
7. Demands that the Abkhaz side accelerate significantly the process of voluntary return of refugees and displaced persons without delay or preconditions, in particular by accepting a timetable on the basis of that proposed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and further demands that it guarantee the safety of spontaneous returnees already in the area and regularize their status in cooperation with the UNHCR and in accordance with the Quadripartite Agreement, in particular in the Gali region;
8. Recalls the conclusions of the Budapest summit of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (S/1994/1435, annex) regarding the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia, and affirms the unacceptability of the demographic changes resulting from the conflict;
9. Condemns ethnically motivated killings and other ethnically related acts 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 peacekeepers and observers of the international community, and calls upon the parties to take all measures in their power to prevent mine laying and to cooperate fully with UNOMIG and the CIS peace-keeping force in order to honour their commitments to ensure the safety and the freedom of movement of all personnel of the United Nations, the CIS peace-keeping force and international humanitarian organizations;
11. Encourages the Secretary-General to take the necessary steps in response to the threat posed by the laying of mines in order to improve security conditions so as to minimize the danger to UNOMIG personnel and to create conditions 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 CIS peace-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 on possible 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 and Separation of Forces signed in Moscow on 14 May 1994 and/or for humanitarian aspects including demining, as specified by the donors;
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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 political negotiations;
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.
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