Security Council resolution 1808 (2008) [on settlement of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict and extension of the mandate of the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG)]
Symbol: S/RES/1808(2008)
Date: 2008-04-15
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/63 [88] UN OBSERVER MISSION IN GEORGIA
S/63 [87] GEORGIA SITUATION
Subjects: Friends of the Secretary-General on Georgia|UN Observer Mission in Georgia|UN. Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Georgia|Basic Principles for the Distribution of Competencies between Tbilisi and Sukhumi|INTERNAL SECURITY|PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|ABKHAZIA (GEORGIA)|GEORGIA|GEORGIA SITUATION|DISPUTE SETTLEMENT|SOVEREIGNTY|PRINCIPLES|NEGOTIATION|CEASEFIRES|TREATY COMPLIANCE|CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES|ARMED INCIDENTS|CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION|DISPLACED PERSONS|GEORGIAN REFUGEES|REPATRIATION|POPULAR PARTICIPATION|FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT|STAFF SECURITY|CODES OF CONDUCT|TROOP-CONTRIBUTING STATES|CRIME PREVENTION|MILITARY DISCIPLINE|REPORT PREPARATION
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: BELGIUM
vote: yes
country: BURKINA FASO
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: COSTA RICA
vote: yes
country: CROATIA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: INDONESIA
vote: yes
country: ITALY
vote: yes
country: LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA
vote: yes
country: PANAMA
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SOUTH AFRICA
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes
country: VIET NAM
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                    S/RES/1808 (2008)
               Security Council                                                Distr.: General
                                                                               15 April 2008




               Resolution 1808 (2008)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 5866th meeting, on
               15 April 2008

                    The Security Council,
                    Recalling all its relevant resolutions including resolution 1781 of 15 October
               2007 (S/RES/1781),
                    Welcoming the reports of the Secretary-General on the activities of the United
               Nations Observer Mission in Georgia of 23 January 2008 (S/2008/38) and 2 April
               2008 (S/2008/219),
                    Reiterating the importance of maintaining the separation of forces and the
               preservation of the ceasefire,
                    Supporting the sustained efforts of the Secretary-General and of his Special
               Representative with the assistance of the Group of Friends of the Secretary-General
               as well as the Russian Federation in its capacity as facilitator and of the OSCE,
               underlining the increased importance of the meetings in the Geneva format as the
               forum for meaningful political dialogue and welcoming the Georgian and Abkhaz
               renewed commitment to this process,
                    Noting that whereas the United Nations and the Group of Friends of the
               Secretary-General will continue to support the process of conflict resolution
               between the Georgian and Abkhaz sides, the primary responsibility to make use of
               this support and to implement measures to advance the process, in particular
               measures to build confidence, remains with both sides,
                     Regretting the continued lack of progress in implementing confidence-building
               measures, and underlining the importance of constructive goodwill between the
               sides and respect for each other’s concerns,
                     Stressing the importance of close and effective cooperation between UNOMIG
               and the CIS peacekeeping force as they currently play an important stabilizing role
               in the conflict zone, and recalling that a lasting and comprehensive settlement of the
               conflict will require appropriate security guarantees,
                     Stressing that economic development is urgently required in Abkhazia,
               Georgia, to improve the livelihoods of the communities affected by the conflict, in
               particular refugees and internally displaced persons,



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                    1.    Reaffirms the commitment of all Member States to the sovereignty,
               independence and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally
               recognized borders and supports all efforts by the United Nations and the Group of
               Friends of the Secretary-General, which are guided by their determination to
               promote a settlement of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict only by peaceful means and
               within the framework of the Security Council resolutions;
                     2.    Reaffirms its strong support for UNOMIG, and again urges the parties to
               cooperate fully with the Mission and to actively and sustainably engage in the
               political process led by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General; and
               welcomes UNOMIG’s continued consultations with the parties on strengthening its
               observation capacity;
                     3.   Welcomes the recent improvements in the overall security situation; calls
               on both sides to consolidate and broaden those improvements; underlines the need
               for a period of sustained stability along the ceasefire line and in the Kodori valley;
               and stresses the necessity to keep under close observation the situation in the Upper
               Kodori valley which has to be in line with the Moscow agreement on ceasefire and
               separation of forces of 14 May 1994;
                    4.    Welcomes the renewed commitment given by both sides during the
               meeting chaired by the United Nations in Geneva on 18 and 19 February 2008 to
               resume regular consultations within the Quadripartite meetings on security issues
               without delay, and urges once more both sides to fulfil finally this commitment;
                    5.    Expresses its concern at any violation of the ceasefire and separation of
               forces regime in the Zone of Conflict;
                     6.    Strongly urges all parties to consider and address seriously each other’s
               legitimate security concerns, to refrain from any acts of violence or provocation,
               including political action or rhetoric, to comply fully with previous agreements
               regarding ceasefire and non-use of violence, and to maintain the security zone and
               the restricted weapons zone free of any unauthorized military activities; and in this
               regard recalls the recommendations of the Secretary-General contained in
               S/2007/439 and his subsequent reports;
                     7.    Calls on both sides to finalize without delay the document on the non-use
               of violence; and calls on both sides to finalize without delay the document on the
               return of refugees and internally displaced persons;
                     8.    Stresses anew the urgent need to alleviate the plight of refugees and
               internally displaced persons and the need for a perspective of life in security and
               dignity in particular for a new generation growing up outside Abkhazia, Georgia;
                     9.    Reiterates and reaffirms as fundamentally important the right of return
               for all the refugees and the internally displaced persons to Abkhazia, Georgia,
               reaffirms the importance of such people’s return to their homes and property and
               that individual property rights have not been affected by the fact that owners had to
               flee during the conflict and that the residency rights and the identity of those owners
               will be respected, and calls on both sides to implement the UNHCR’s Strategic
               Directions for their return in the first instance to the Gali region;
                     10. Calls upon the parties to increase their bilateral contacts by making full
               use of all existing mechanisms as described in the relevant Security Council
               resolutions in order to come to a peaceful settlement, and to commit themselves to


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           fulfil within a reliable time frame the conditions necessary for the safe, dignified
           and swift return of refugees and internally displaced persons;
                 11. Firmly convinced that the confidence-building measures proposed by the
           Group of Friends of the Secretary-General and endorsed through resolution 1752 of
           13 April 2007, will serve the development of broader and unbiased contacts between
           the communities of the divided country, regrets the lack of progress made with
           regard to confidence-building measures and urges again the Georgian and Abkhaz
           sides to implement these measures without conditions;
                 12. Recalls, with a view to achieving a lasting and comprehensive settlement,
           its support for the principles contained in the “Paper on Basic Principles for the
           Distribution of Competencies between Tbilisi and Sukhumi”, and welcomes
           additional ideas that the sides would be willing to offer with a view to conducting
           creatively and constructively a political dialogue under the aegis of the United
           Nations;
                13. Welcomes existing and encourages further contacts between
           representatives of civil society, and appeals to both sides to continue to promote
           without reservation the active engagement of citizens and officials in such contacts;
                 14. Underlines that it is the primary responsibility of both sides to provide
           appropriate security and to ensure the freedom of movement throughout the zone of
           conflict of UNOMIG, the CIS peacekeeping force and other international personnel
           and calls on both sides to fulfil their obligations in this regard and to extend full
           cooperation to UNOMIG and the CIS peacekeeping force;
                15. Welcomes the efforts being undertaken by UNOMIG to implement the
           Secretary-General’s zero tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse and to
           ensure full compliance of its personnel with the United Nations code of conduct,
           requests the Secretary-General to continue to take all necessary action in this regard
           and to keep the Security Council informed, and urges troop-contributing countries to
           take appropriate preventive action including the conduct of predeployment
           awareness training, and to take disciplinary action and other action to ensure full
           accountability in cases of such conduct involving their personnel;
                16. Decides to extend the mandate of UNOMIG for a new period terminating
           on 15 October 2008;
                 17. Requests the Secretary-General to make use of this mandate in order to
           encourage and support the parties in implementing measures to build confidence and
           to establish an intensive and meaningful dialogue, with a view to achieve a lasting
           and comprehensive settlement, including the facilitation of a meeting at the highest
           level, and to inform the Council in his next report on the situation in Abkhazia,
           Georgia, on progress made in this respect;
                18. Strongly supports the efforts of the Special Representative of the
           Secretary-General and encourages the Group of Friends of the Secretary-General to
           continue giving him their steadfast and unified support;
                19.   Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.




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