Historical Chronology

18-19 May 2009	The fifth round of Geneva talks on Georgia will take place.
9 April 2009	Protests began calling for Georgian President Mikhail Saakshvili to resign.
13 February 2009	The Council adopted resolution 1866 extending the mandate of the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) until 15 June.
20 January 2009	Russia warned that it would impose “special economic measures” against countries supplying weapons to Georgia.
16 January 2009	A Georgian policeman was shot and killed while on duty near the South Ossetian administrative boundary line.
15 January 2009	Greece, which had taken over the OSCE chair on 1 January, presented a new initiative to Russia aimed at keeping the OSCE in South Ossetia.
9 January 2009	The US and Georgia signed a bilateral charter on a strategic partnership aimed at increasing cooperation in defense, trade and energy. The agreement provides a roadmap for cooperation including US assistance to Georgia’s military to help it qualify for NATO membership.
1 January 2009	The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission in Georgia began shutting down
Early December 2008	Irakli Alasania resigned as Georgia's ambassador to the UN. He issued a statement on 24 December accusing Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili of precipitating the armed conflict in August and calling on all "decent and patriotic persons" to join forces to avert the impending "crisis" and restore security, stability and prosperity.
15 October, 18 November and 17-18 December 2008	Three rounds of Geneva internationally mediated talks focusing on security and stability and repatriation of refugees were held in line with the 12 August 2008 ceasefire agreement, jointly chaired by the UN, EU and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
9 October 2009	The Council agreed on a four month technical rollover for UNOMIG through resolution 1839.
26 August 2008	Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed decrees recognising South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states.
22 August 2008	The Council held closed consultations and discussed the Russian and French draft resolutions.
20 August 2008	Russian halted military cooperation with NATO.
20 August 2008	Russia formally circulated its draft resolution (S/2008/570).
19 August 2008	The French circulated a second draft resolution.
19 August 2008	NATO ministers called on Russia to observe the ceasefire and withdraw its troops immediately.
15 August 2008	Russia and Georgia signed a ceasefire plan containing six principles.
12 August 2008	French President Nicolas Sarkozy joined French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb in Moscow to propose a plan for a ceasefire. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev endorsed six principles to end the conflict and ordered a halt to Russian military operations but said Russian troops will remain in current positions in Georgia.
11 August 2008	Russian ground forces from Abkhazia were reported to be in the vicinity of Senaki, well inside Georgia. The European Commission called on Russia to halt military activity on Georgian territory and NATO Secretary-General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, said he was concerned about the disproportionate use of force. The Group of 7 (US, UK, Italy, France, Germany, Canada and Japan) also urged Russia to accept an immediate ceasefire and accept international mediation. Georgia accepted a ceasefire proposal by French Foreign Minister Kouchner and Finnish Foreign Minister Stubb. The Council held a closed meeting, during which Mulet and Pascoe briefed the Council. The French circulated a first French draft resolution.
10 August 2008	French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner on behalf of the EU presidency, together with Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, in his capacity as OSCE chairman, flew to Tbilisi and presented proposals to Georgia. On 10 August, the Council held an open debate with Georgia’s participation and was briefed by Under Secretary-General B. Lynn Pascoe and Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Edmond Mulet (S/PV.5953) after having had private consultations.
9 August 2008	The Georgian parliament declared a state of war for 15 days. The fighting also spread to Abkhazia as Abkhaz separatists launched air and artillery strikes on Georgian forces in the Kodori Gorge. The UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) withdrew its observers from the Upper Kodori Valley in Abkhazia after the Abkhaz de facto authorities said their safety could no longer be guaranteed. The presidents of Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania issued a joint statement as former Soviet bloc nations expressing their deep concern over Russia’s actions and called on NATO and the EU to stand up to Moscow.
8 August 2008	Russia attacked Georgia's military in South Ossetia.
7 August 2008	Georgia complained that Ossetian separatists were attacking Georgian police and patrols and deployed a large force into South Ossetia.
4 August 2008	Russia complained that Georgia was resorting to force in South Ossetia and the South Ossetians accused Georgian forces of killing at least six people.
29 July 2008	The Council held consultations on the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) to discuss the latest UNOMIG report (S/2008/480).
21 July 2008	The Council held a private meeting (S/PV.5939) on the situation in Georgia convened at the request of Georgia.
16 July 2008	Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice discussed the situation in Georgia during a telephone conversation.
15 July 2008	Georgia's parliament unanimously approved an increase of its armed forces by 5,000 soldiers and a 26.8 percent rise ($209 million) in annual military spending. These increases brought the armed forces to 37,000 and the total military expenditure for the year to $989.3 million.
15 July 2008	NATO said that it was “concerned” by Russia's statement that its military aircraft deliberately overflew Georgian territory and that the action raised questions about Russia’s role as a peacekeeper in Abkhazia and facilitator of talks between Tbilisi and Sukhumi.
10 July 2008	Georgia wrote to the president of the Council to request, in accordance with article 35 of the UN Charter, a meeting of the Council with the participation of the Georgian representative to discuss the overflight of Russian military aircraft in Georgian air space.
10 July 2008	Russia admitted its fighter jets had flown over the breakaway Georgian territory of South Ossetia two days earlier.
8 July 2008	Russian military aircraft lew over Georgian airspace.
7 July 2008	The Secretary-General condemned the explosions of 5-6 July 2008 and called for an immediate and thorough investigation of the incidents.
5-6 July 2008	A series of explosions took place in Abkhaz-controlled territory as well as near the ceasefire line on Georgian territory. Four people were killed and sixteen injured. One staff member of UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) was killed and another injured.
17 June 2008	Georgia arrested four Russian soldiers suspected of transporting weapons without proper documentation.
mid-June 2008	The US, UK, Germany and France met to discuss ways of encouraging dialgoue.
5 June 2008	Georgia suspended flights of unmanned aerial vehicles over Abkhazia but reserved the right to restart them.
early June 2008	EU ambassadors called for a resumption of dialgoue without preliminary conditions.
early June 2008	Javier Solana, the EU's High Representative, visited Tbilisi and Sukhumi and encouraged resumption of direct Georgian-Abkhaz talks.
31 May 2008	Russia deployed a military unit to repair Abkhazia's rail and road infrastructure. Georgia saw this action as preparation of infrastructure for possible military intervention. Russia described it as a humanitarian action aimed at improving people’s lives. The Russian action drew criticism from the US and NATO.
30 May 2008	The Council met at the request of Georgia to discuss the UNOMIG report on the downing of an unmanned aerial vehicle on 20 April.
26 May 2008	UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) released a report of its independent investigation of the downing of a Georgian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) over Abkhazia on 20 April. A video taken by the drone before it was destroyed showed a fighter jet firing a missle at it. The report determined that the fighter jet was either a Russian-made MiG-29 or a Su-27.
21 May 2008	Georgia held parliamentary elections. Mikheil Saakashvili's party won 60 per cent of the vote. The opposition has complained of violations at the polling stations.
15 May 2008	The General Assembly adopted a resolution (14 in favour, 11 against and 105 abstaining) upholding the rights of Georgian refugees and internally displaced persons to return to Abkhazia.
12 May 2008	Irakli Alasania, Georgia's UN ambsaddor, held direct talks with Abkhaz leaders in Sukhumi.
early May	US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Matthew Bryza visited Sukhumi to encourage both sides to rejuvenate the peace process.
late April 2008	Russia increased its peacekeeping force in Abkhazia to 2500 citing a build up of troops on the Georgia-Abkhaz border. Georgia denied any troop buildup and voiced unhappiness with not being informed of the Russian troop increase.
20 April 2008	An unmanned Georgian aerial vehicle was downed over Abkhazia.
15 April 2008	The Council adopted resolution 1808 on 15 April extending the mandate of UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) until 15 October 2008.
25 March 2008	Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's incoming president, spoke out against NATO membership for Georgia.
21 March 2008	The Russian Duma adopted a non-binding declaration asking the Russian government to consider the "expediency of recognising the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia".
13 March 2008	Russia's Duma recommended that the Russian government open "missions" in Abkhazia and South Ossetia and Transdnestr.
7 March 2008	Abkhazia called on Russia, the UN, the EU and the OSCE to recognise its independence.
6 March 2008	Russia withdrew from the CIS sanctions regime that had been established in 1996 by the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States to put pressure on Abkhazia.
21 February 2008	Saakashvili and Putin met ahead of the informal Commonwealth of Independent States summit.
18 - 19 February 2008	The Group of Friends met in Geneva.
12 December 2007	The Secretary-General called for "calm and restraint" in the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict.
6 December 2007	The ban on the private television station Imedi (part-owned by Rupert Murdoch and Badri Patarkatsishvili, a leading critic of Saakashvili's government and a candidate in the presidential elections) was lifted.
5 December 2007	Lado Gurgenidze, the interim prime minister appointed after the state of emergency, cited social tensions as a major factor in the demonstrations that led to the state of emergency. He downplayed earlier allegations of a Russian role in the rallies.
29 November 2007	Georgian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs George Manjgaladze met the permanent representatives of the Secretary-General's Group of Friends of Georgia (France, Germany, Russia, the UK, the US and in New York, Slovakia) in Tbilisi and provided information on the return of internally displaced persons and refugees.
25 November 2007	Saakashvili resigned as presdient in order to run in elections scheduled for 5 January 2008.
7 November 2007	Demonstrations led to a crack down and state of emergncy being imposed until 16 November.
25 October 2007	The first high-level contact between Tbilisi and Sukhumi (the Abkaz capital) took place when David Bakradze, the Georgian state minister for conflict resolution issues, and David Bakradze, the Abkhaz de facto foreign minister, met to discuss the 20 September clash.
15 October 2007	The Security Council adopted resolution 1781 extending the mandate of UNOMIG until 15 April 2008. It urged "all parties to consider and address seriously each other's legitimate security concerns" and "refrain from any acts of violence or provocation."
20 September 2007	A clash between Georgian Ministry of the Interior units and an Abkhaz military unit reportedly left two dead, several wounded and a number taken prisoner. A Joint Fact-Finding Group led by UNOMIG was set up to investigate the incident.
5 September 2007	Georgia complained to the Council about military exercises conducted by Abkhaz troops in Abkhazia.
August 2007	Georgia, in a letter, called for a meeting of the Security Council stating that a Russian missile had impacted its territory on 6 August 2007. Subsequently, on 9 and 16 August, the Council had two informal briefings on the missile incident in Georgia.
26 July 2007	The Council held consultations on Georgia and was briefed by Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hédi Annabi on the Secretary-General's latest report (S/2007/439).
29 June 2007	The Group of Friends met in Germany under the auspicies of Under Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guehenno.
18 June 2007	The leaders of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova met in Baku at a summit of the Organisation for Democracy and Economic Development (ODED, more commonly known as GUAM). The creation of a joint peacekeeping force which could be deployed in the breakaway regions was among the issues discussed.
Early June 2007	The Abkhazians and South Ossetians adopted a joint statement stating that they have as much right to independence as Kosovo. The Transdniester Republic, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabakh in mid-June signed a joint declaration on "principles for peaceful and just settlement" of their respective situations.
10 June 2007	At the Russian and Georgian leaders meeting ahead of the informal summit of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) leaders, Russia agreed to lift sanctions on Georgian products on a "step-by-step" basis.
4 May 2007	Three Georgian students detained by the Abkhaz authorities for illegally crossing "Abkhaz borders" on 1 March were released. In return, Sergey Bagapsh, the de facto Abkhaz leader, called on Georgia to release Abkhaz official Davit Sigua, but so far there has been no response.
18 March 2007	Run-off elections were held in Abkhazia after a 4 March parliamentary election failed to form a government when only 18 members were elected in the 35-seat parliament.
March 2007	Tense relations between Georgia and Russia were further strained when, according to Georgian officials, three Russian helicopters had fired into the Kodori Gorge. Russia denied this. A fact-finding team was sent to the Upper Kodori Valley.
12-13 January 2007	In Geneva, the Group of Friends (France, Germany, Russia, the UK, the US and, in New York, Slovakia) met with representatives from Georgia and Abkhazia. The two parties were urged to engage on security issues in the northwest and cooperate to reduce tensions.
11 December 2006	The de facto Abkhaz authorities suspended border crossings and threatened to cut off hydroelectric power to Georgia after the arrest of the de facto head of the Gali district administration for alleged drug trafficking.
26 October 2006	UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) investigated reports that three rockets had been launched from Abkhazia into the upper Kodori Valley.
13 October 2006	The Council in resolution 1716 encouraged the resumption of joint patrols on 12 October by UN Observer Mission in Georgia and Commonwealth of Independent States peacekeepers in the upper Kodori Valley.
22 September 2006	In his speech to the General Assembly, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said that the current framework for negotiation and peacekeeping in Abkhazia and South Ossetia needed to be replaced. He also proposed the demilitarisation of the conflict zone, direct dialogue between parties on the ground and the establishment of an international police presence.
18 July 2006	The Georgian parliament passed a resolution asking the government to suspend Commonwealth of Independent States peacekeeping operations in Abkhazia and South Ossetia and for the withdrawal of the Russian armed forces.
July 2006	Jean Arnault of France was appointed as the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Georgia and Head of the UN Observer Mission in Georgia , succeeding Heidi Tagliavini of Switzerland.
22 February 2006	At high-level meeting, the Group of Friends agreed on a document listing elements for the peaceful settlement of the conflict.
15 February 2006	The Georgian parliament adopted a resolution recommending the internationalisation of peacekeeping in South Ossetia.
31 January 2006	President Vladimir Putin of Russia is reported to have linked the situation in Georgia with that in Kosovo and warned that Russia would move to recognise the independence of Abkhazia (and the other Georgian breakaway region of South Ossetia.)
31 January 2006	The Council adopted a technical rollover of the UN Observer Mission in Georgia. It was triggered by Russian objections to standard UN language reaffirming the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and supporting a political solution for the inclusion of Abkhazia within Georgia's boundaries.
January 2006	Georgia accused Russia of deliberately cutting natural gas supplies causing energy crisis in Georgia.
11 October 2005	The Georgian parliament adopted a resolution criticising the performance of Russian peacekeepers and threatened that Georgian consent for the presence of the Russian forces may be withdrawn by 15 February in the case of South Ossetia, and 15 July in the case of Abkhazia.
July 2005	The Russian Federation began the phased handover of military facilities to Georgian authorities.
May 2005	A protocol on strengthening the 1994 ceasefire was signed.
January 2005	Sergei Bagapsh was elected de facto president of Abkhazia.
May-August 2004	Tensions increased with breakaway South Ossetia.
March-May 2004	Tensions arose between Tbilisi and the de facto autonomous region of Ajaria, culminating with the resignation of Ajarian leader Aslan Abashidze.
January 2004	Mikhail Saakashvili was elected president of Georgia.
August 2003	Georgia sent troops to Iraq.
May 2003	Construction of the Georgian section of the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline began.
September-October 2002	Renewed tensions over Chechen fighters on Georgian soil emerged. The Russian Federation warned of possible military action. Russian special forces launched cross-border raids without approval from Tbilisi.
December 2001	The "Basic Principles for the Distribution of Competencies between Tbilisi and Sokhumi" was submitted to the parties.
October 2001	Renewed fighting between Abkhaz separatists and Georgian paramilitaries. Russia accused Georgia of harbouring Chechen forces. A UN helicopter was shot down in the Kodori Valley, Abkhazia.
1996	Georgia and South Ossetia, with the participation of Russia, the Republic of North Ossetia and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), signed the 1996 Memorandum on Measures to Provide Security and Strengthen Mutual Trust between the Parties to the Georgian-Ossetian conflict.
April-May 1994	The Moscow Ceasefire Agreement and the quadripartite agreement were signed. As a result, Commonwealth of Independent States peacekeeping troops were deployed and UNOMIG's mandate was expanded. Agreement was also reached on practical measures on topics such as transport and communications.
September 1993	The ceasefire collapsed. Georgia became a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States and agreed to the establishment of three Russian military bases on its soil.
August 1993	The UN Observer Mission in Georgia was established to monitor the ceasefire.
July 1993	A new ceasefire was reached under the Sochi Agreement.
October 1992	The ceasefire collapsed, and interethnic fighting in the Russian North Caucasus erupted.
September 1992	Both parties signed a ceasefire and peacekeeping plan.
August 1992	Conflict between Georgian troops and Abkhaz separatist forces began.
April 1991	Georgia became independent after a popular referendum. The Abkhaz population, however, voted to remain part of the Soviet Union.
1990	South Ossetia declared independence, seeking unification with North Ossetia, Russia.
1978	The Abkhaz Autonomous Socialist republic sought unsuccessfully to secede from Georgia and join the Russian Republic.
1931	Abkhazia was incorporated into Georgia by Soviet authorities.
1921	Georgia became part of the Soviet Union.