Georgia: citing 'painfully slow' progress, Annan urges extension of UN mission

In a report released today that says progress in resolving the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict remains "painfully slow," United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan appeals to the Abkhaz side to abandon its "uncompromising position" and negotiate a settlement with the new Georgian Government.

Voicing his conviction that the presence of the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) continues to be critical to maintaining stability along the ceasefire lines between Georgian and Abkhaz separatist forces in north western Georgia, Mr. Annan calls for a further a six-month extension of the 10-year-old mission until 31 July.

UNOMIG, which consists of about 115 military observers and a civilian component seeking to resolve the conflict, was established in 1994 after an accord reached in Moscow ended fighting that had forced nearly 300,000 refugees to flee.

Mr. Annan notes in his latest report to the Security Council that some progress has been made in the area of the return of refugees and security.

"However, this progress has remained painfully slow and it took sustained efforts by UNOMIG, supported by the Group of Friends, to keep the sides focused on moving forward," he states. The Group of Friends comprises France, Germany, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Mr. Annan adds that two years after the finalization of a paper on various competences, negotiations on the future political status of Abkhazia within the State of Georgia have still not started.

"While the Abkhaz side took a generally constructive approach towards increased practical cooperation, it persisted in its refusal to receive the paper on competences and its transmittal letter. It continued to invoke its unilateral 'declaration of independence' of 1999," he says.

"I once again appeal to the Abkhaz side to abandon its uncompromising position and take advantage of the change of leadership in Tbilisi [the Georgian capital] to negotiate a mutually acceptable and lasting settlement," he adds.

Mr. Annan also notes that 10 members of a projected 20-strong UNOMIG civil police component have already taken up their assignment in the Zugdidi sector, but the deployment of the rest has been delayed after the de facto Abkhaz parliament objected.

A UN spokesman in New York, meanwhile, reported that the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Georgia, Heidi Tagliavini, travelled to Gali today to chair the second meeting between the sides on security in the Gali district. The meeting involved discussion of ways to improve the effectiveness of security mechanisms in the zone of conflict.