S/PV.3362 Security Council

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in the course of the Council’s prior consultations. I should like to draw the attention of the members of the Council to document S/1994/397, which contains the text of a letter dated 5 April 1994 from the Permanent Representative of Georgia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council. Following consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: "The Security Council welcomes the conclusion of the third round of the negotiations between the Georgian and Abkhaz sides on a comprehensive political settlement of the conflict under the aegis of the United Nations with the assistance of the Russian Federation as facilitator and also attended by representatives of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). "The Council considers the signing in Moscow on 4 April 1994 of ’the Declaration on measures for a political settlement of the Georgian/Abkhaz conflict’ (S/1994/397, annex I) and the ’Quadripartite Agreement on voluntary return of refugees and displaced persons’ (S/1994/397, annex II) as an encouraging event, laying the basis for further progress towards the settlement of the conflict. "The Council calls upon both parties to observe strictly the cease-fire and other commitments under the agreements and to use the atmosphere of constructive cooperation, which has emerged during the negotiations, for the solution of other key issues of the settlement. "The Council reaffirms its support for the return of all refugees and displaced persons to their homes in secure conditions, in accordance with international law, and as set out in the Quadripartite Agreement’s provisions, and calls upon the parties to honour the commitments they have already made in this regard. "The Council underlines the importance of substantive progress towards a political settlement during the next rounds of negotiations so that the Security Council may adequately consider the possible establishment of a peace-keeping force in Abkhazia, Republic of Georgia. "The Council expresses in this connection its hope for fruitful results of the work of the Quadripartite Commission on refugees and displaced persons, which begins its work in Sochi on 8 April 1994, and of the negotiations between the parties aimed at creating the conditions for the possible establishment of a peace-keeping force and the continuation of consultations on the political status of Abkhazia to be convened on 12 and 19 April, respectively. "The Council welcomes the efforts by the Secretary-General of the United Nations and his Special Envoy for Georgia aimed at achieving a comprehensive political settlement in Abkhazia, Republic of Georgia, in accordance with the principles set out in its relevant resolutions, and looks forward to an early report by the Secretary-General as provided for in resolution 906 (1994) of 25 March 1994." This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/1994/17. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on the agenda. The meeting rose at 6.45 p.m.