PRESS CONFERENCE BY GEORGIA

25 March 1996

Press Briefing

19960325 FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY

The Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Abkhazian Autonomous Republic, Tamaz Nadareishvili, told correspondents at a Headquarters press conference today that the situation in the region was still serious. There were some 300,000 refugees throughout the territory of Georgia; large-scale genocide and ethnic policing towards the Georgian population in Abkhazia continued. There had been no positive moves to resolve the conflict.

In the last year, more than 1,000 persons had been killed and 100 were missing in territory under the control of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) peace-keeping forces, and United Nations representatives had witnessed events there, he continued. The peace process and the negotiations which had been going on for the last three years had come to a standstill. He welcomed the resolutions which had been adopted by CIS leaders at their summit on 19 January, but they were still only paper, he said. Moreover, after the summit, the leader of the self-styled government of Abkhazia, Vladislav Ardzinba, had been welcomed in Moscow and had a number of meetings in the Russian Parliament which demonstrated his close links to political forces striving to restore the Soviet Union. Peace-keeping operations in the region were not carrying out their duties properly and had a pro-Ardzinba orientation. That was having a negative affect on the current Georgian Government which had decided to build an open, democratic society.

Mr. Nadareishvili described the refugee situation as catastrophic and said over 400,000 people of various nationalities had lost hope for a positive solution to the conflict and in the United Nations and the Georgian Government. Many refugees could decide to return to their former homes which could lead to more bloodshed and aggravate the situation in the Caucus region. The international community was taking a passive role towards the problem in Abkhazia which had serious implications not only for the Caucuses, but for world security.

He said he had come to ask the United Nations to play a more active role and share responsibility with the Russian Federation for more practical measures to resolve the conflict. The mandate of the CIS peace-keepers and the United Nations observers should be extended and apply to the whole of Abkhazia. Peace-keeping formations should be moved from the area of the Inguri river to that of the Ghalidzgha river, which would not be difficult as the Gali region had always been populated mostly by Georgians and not Abkhazians. That would help solve the huge refugee problem in the region. Such practical steps would give real hope that the international community, with the Russian Federation as facilitator actively involved in trying to

Georgia Press Conference - 2 - 25 March 1996

solve the conflict. Some 350,000 Abkhazian refugees in various territories of the former Soviet Union also had to return to their motherland.

Historically, Abkhazia had always been an integral part of Georgia, and his delegation was trying to create the most favourable conditions for the autonomous republic of Abkhazia to be part of a Georgian entity, based on Federal principles, he said. It would` have its own parliament, constitution, supreme court, symbols, flags and its culture, and language would be retained. There would be a common military and currency. He appealed to the United Nations and the international community to take the conflict more seriously and participate more actively in trying to stabilize the situation, as three years of negotiations had not achieved very much.

A correspondent asked if the United States Government had made any proposals to deal with the situation when the delegation had met with officials in Washington last week. He replied that his delegation's main goal had been to update United States officials on the latest situation. The Americans had stressed that the situation should be resolved politically, and the Russian Federation had an important role to play. The Abkhazia delegation had underlined the importance of political and moral support and humanitarian assistance by the international community.

People from both sides, including 300,000 refugees and displaced persons and some 35,000 native Abkhazians who lived throughout the former Soviet Union, as well as those still in the region, wanted a safe and peaceful Abkhazia, he continued. However, the local authorities, headed by Mr. Ardzinba and surrounded by some para-military forces, were trying to achieve their own goals and were blocking the peace process.

In reply to a question about relations with Turkey, Mr. Nadareishvili said serious attention was given to relations with the Turkish Government. A number of high-ranking officials, including the Turkish President and the Prime Minister, had visited Georgia in the last year. Economic cooperation between the two countries had improved. Unfortunately, local Abkhaz separatists has some support in Turkey.

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