Georgia’s Special Envoy for Abkhazia Addresses UN Security Council

Statement by Mr. Irakli Alasania Special Representative of the President of Georgia for Abkhazia

New York, January 26, 2006

Mr. President,
Excellencies,
Distinguished colleagues,

I welcome the opportunity to appear before the UN Security Council to offer Georgian perspective on the performance of main actors of the UN-led peace process on Abkhazia, Georgia. I am extending my appreciation to Special Representative of the Secretary General Ms. Heidi Tagliavini for her continued efforts to move the peace process forward.

 Mr. President,

The Georgian government continues its efforts in consistence with its policy of pro-active engagement with the Abkhaz side. The principal element of this initiative is based on the achievement of comprehensive political settlement of the conflict through recognition of legitimate interests of both Abkhazs and Georgians.

In brief, I would like to bring to your attention the steps taken by the Georgian side in this regard, that is the manifestation of President Saakashvili’s Administration’s full adherence to the peaceful resolution of this conflict:

In December of last year President Saakashvili once again demonstrated the good will and reaffirmed the commitment of the Georgian leadership to the new thinking and approaches aimed at forging direct links with our Abkhaz partners in the peace process. He proposed a meeting with the Abkhaz leader without any preconditions aimed at signing the document that sets out the basic principles of renouncement of use of force, as well as any threat of its use and establishes legal and favorable conditions for dignified and secure return of refugees and IDPs to the places of their permanent residence.

Recently we have witnessed certain positive developments in some domains of the conflict settlement process, particularly in efforts to reestablish economic ties, cooperation on restoration of railway communication between Georgia and the Russian Federation through the territory of Abkhazia, Georgia.  I want to thank Russian side for cooperation in successful completion of assessment of conditions of railroad infrastructure. We would hope that the recent working group meeting of rail road authorities in Moscow may trigger the practical implementation of this mutually beneficial project.

Our policy of pro-active engagement has long-term goals to get Abkhaz society out of isolation, to expose them to democratic values and beliefs, recognizing fundamental human rights of internally displaced persons and refugees, first of all the right to return to their homes, regardless of their ethnicity, to establish environment of trust and mutual respect.

Despite of the Georgian side’s attempts to decrease tension and achieve some progress in existing strained relations between the parties, we observe very alarming trends in de facto Abkhaz leadership’s statements and practices.

There are not even minimal standards of security and safety in the conflict zone – especially in the Gali district. On a daily basis we witness severe violations of fundamental rights and direct threats to the lives of spontaneously returned population. Regrettably, since my last attendance at the UN Security Council meeting there has been little, if any, change. Efforts aimed at elimination of Georgian identity and cultural heritage continue. Georgian historical sites, temples and churches are still being ruined. Ban of instruction in Georgian language is still not lifted and children are denied to study in their own language.

We are deeply concerned about these acts of violence in the Gali district, as they constitute а major threat to the population. Abkhaz side should agree to full deployment of UN civilian police, as well as opening of the branch of the UN/OSCE Human Rights office in Gali.

Abkhaz leadership should refrain from measures against the population which are incompatible with the universally acknowledged basic human rights. Just for the information, recently the Abkhaz de facto authorities introduced a new practice of forceful passportization of the returnees, accompanied with a threat of expelling them in case of refusal. This is one more clear demonstration of continuing ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia.

Mr. President,

I have to reiterate that, despite these very unfortunate developments, we are still strongly adhered to the peaceful negotiations aimed at finding a solution for the conflict. But, the core issue in any kind of peaceful settlement, no matter what stage the process is on, is a question of political status of a breakaway region. Until very recently this issue had no question marks – all members of the Security Council, as well as entire international community, had no doubts on this matter – the status of Abkhazia should be determined within the State of Georgia. This postulate is adequately reflected in every resolution of this august body.

Today we are facing rather unexpected and worrisome development of this very important question. One of the members of the Security Council, member of the Group of friends and the facilitator of the peace process – namely the Russian Federation – suddenly has decided to disassociate itself from supporting the basic principle – principle of territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders. That disassociation extends also to the so-called Boden paper – “Basic Principles for the Distribution of the Competences between Tbilisi and Sokhumi” – which is the key document for the political settlement of entire peace process. That is why for the first time in the history of Security Council deliberations we have no draft resolution prepared by the Group of Friends.

Mr. President,

This change of position of the one of the prominent members of P5 is not just a slight shift or correction. Renouncement of the principle of determining the status of Abkhazia within the State of Georgia does mean the following:
• support of the secessionism as a phenomenon;
• endorsement of ethnic cleansing of more than 300 000 citizens of Georgia;
• questioning the basic principle of the modern world architecture – the principle of territorial integrity and inviolability of internationally recognized borders.   

Mr. President,

I am representing the people who were forcefully expelled from their homes and are not allowed to return. I am representing the people who count every day of their exile and who look with a hope to this Council for its work and resolutions. I am representing the community which follows very closely every move in the peace process in Abkhazia, Georgia.

How can I explain to my fellow citizens that the facilitator of the peace process, the conductor of the peace operation on the ground stands on this very dangerous position?

A couple of words on the peacekeeping operation. In October 2005, the Parliament of Georgia issued the special statement which assessed the performance of CIS PKF rather uneffective: little less than 2000 Georgians have been killed in the zone of responsibility of CIS PKF since its deployment in 1994.

The mistrust of local population towards the PKF is widening, especially in the region of their mandate. The population affected by the conflict does not see the peacekeepers as an impartial international force, but rather as a dividing wall between the two communities.

Mr. President,

Time pressures us. We face the time when major changes should be expected. We are witnessing the development which can change entire power structure of the peace process. In this situation, the Security Council, the United Nations, are the institutions aimed at finding the solutions. We, as a country, as a full-fledged member of the international community are ready to act in a responsible manner, adhere ourselves to the internationally recognized principles and call upon all Member States, including the Russian Federation, whom we would like to see as a viable partner, not to spare efforts to find peaceful solution for the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia. We believe that only together we – Abkhazs and Georgians – can decisively accelerate the peace process. But to do so, we need forceful, consistent and carefully crafted initiatives, strongly supported by the UN, which can present incentives for achieving long-lasting peace and give to the entire region new chance for stable development.

Thank you.