Yalta Declaration of the Georgian and Abkhaz Sides (19 March, 2001)

Yalta Declaration of the Georgian and Abkhaz Sides

15-16 March 2001

The third Meeting on Confidence-building Measures between the Georgian and Abkhaz Sides within the framework of the Geneva peace process under the auspices of the United Nations, took place in Yalta on 15 and 16 March 2001, under the chairmanship of the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary- General, Mr. Dieter Boden.

During the Meeting, in their desire to ensure favourable conditions for the continuation of the peace process so as to achieve a settlement and prevent a deterioration of the situation in the conflict zone, the Sides reaffirmed their commitments regarding the non-use of force against each other in resolving any disputes, with a view to achieving a comprehensive political settlement of the conflict. They also noted the importance of reaching mutual understanding and accord, and placed special emphasis on their determination to intensify efforts to create the necessary conditions for the voluntary and safe return of refugees to their permanent residences, in the first phase to the Gali district within the old borders.

The Sides noted the failure to prevent the resumption of military activities in May 1998, which appeared to be, inter alia, a consequence of the absence of reliable guarantees for the maintenance of peace. In the course of these events, there had also been a failure to employ in full all the mechanisms for the prevention of hostilities, including the CIS Collective Peacekeeping Forces and UNOMIG. At the same time, the Sides recognize the stabilizing role of the CIS Collective Peacekeeping Forces and UNOMIG in the conflict zone.

On the basis of the above, striving to secure a durable peace, the Sides requested the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General to appeal to the United Nations, the Group of Friends of the United Nations Secretary-General for Georgia, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and CIS to become guarantors for the non-resumption of hostilities, the steady and safe return of refugees and displaced persons, in the first phase to the Gali district within the old borders, and to elaborate, with the participation of the Sides, the mechanism to implement these guarantees.

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