FACT SHEET ON UNOMIG

Source: United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG)

Date: 15 Jan 2003

Headquarters: Sukhumi
Sectors: Gali and Zugdidi
Separate Patrol: Kodori Valley
Liaison Office: Tbilisi
Military Observers: 114
Authorized: 136
Budget (2002-2003): $31,700,000
Special Representative of the Secretary-General: Ms. Heidi Tagliavini (Switzerland) Since July 2002
Chief Military Observer: Major General Ashfaq Ahmed (Bangladesh) Since May 2002
Mandate: Security Council resolution 858 (August 1993) established UNOMIG. Following the Moscow Agreement of 14 May 1994, resolution 937 (July 1994) expanded the mission’s mandate to: (i) monitor a "security zone" (no military presence) and a "restricted weapons zone" (no heavy weapons) on both sides of the cease-fire line along the Inguri river; (ii) patrol the Kodori Valley, a remote mountain area in Abkhazia under Georgian control, and (iii) observe the operation of the CIS peacekeeping force within the framework of the implementation of the Moscow Agreement. The mandate was last extended in resolution 1427 (July 2002) and will expire on 31 January 2003.

Operations: UNOMIG conducts daily patrols in its area of responsibility. For security reasons, it patrols only in pairs of mine-protected vehicles and on main roads connecting major populated areas.

Political process: Since the beginning of the conflict, in exercise of the Secretary-General’s good offices, the Special Envoy and later the Special Representative undertook efforts to bring the parties together in substantive negotiations. In these efforts, the UN is assisted by the Russian Federation, in its capacity as facilitator, as well as by the Group of Friends of the Secretary-General. To facilitate meaningful negotiations between the parties, former Special Representative Boden with the support of the Group of Friends prepared a paper on "Basic principles for the distribution of competences between Tbilisi and Sukhumi". In resolution 1393 of 31 January 2002, the Security Council welcomed and supported the finalization of the paper and of its letter of transmittal as positive elements for launching the peace process between the sides. In resolution 1427 of 29 July 2002, the Council recalled its support to the document. Efforts to submit the paper to the parties are ongoing.

Consultation mechanisms: In 1997, the Coordinating Council was established to promote cooperation between the parties. The Council has three Working Groups on: security issues, return of refugees and displaced persons, and social and economic issues. The Council has not met since January 2001. Working groups on security matters and displaced persons last met in July 2002 and working group on social and economic issues in November 2002. On the ground, there are weekly quadripartite meetings of local representatives of the parties in the conflict zone, the CIS peacekeeping force and UNOMIG to discuss operational issues.

Observer contributing countries: Albania (3), Austria (2), Bangladesh (7), Czech Republic (5), Denmark (5), Egypt (3), France (3), Germany (11), Greece (5), Hungary (7), Indonesia (4), Jordan (7), Pakistan (9), Poland (4), Republic of Korea (7), Russian Federation (3), Sweden (3), Switzerland (4), Turkey (5), Ukraine (5), United Kingdom (7), United States (2), Uruguay (3).

Key documents:

Agreement on a Cease-Fire and Separation of Forces, 14 May 1994 (S/1994/583, Annex 1)

Resolution 937 (S/RES/937 (1994))

Declaration on measures for a political settlement of the Georgian/Abkhaz conflict, 4 April 1994 (S/1994/397, Annex 1)

Quadripartite agreement on voluntary return of refugees and displaced persons, 4 April 1994 (S/1994/397, Annex 2)

Joint Assessment Mission to the Gali district, 20-24 November 2000 (S/2001/59, Annex 2)

Yalta Declaration of the Georgian and Abkhaz sides, 15-16 March 2001 (S/2001/242) DPKO/ELAD/15.01.03