UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, called for the continued presence of UN observer mission in Georgia with its “current configuration and deployment” and also offered measures for a renewed security arrangement.

In his report to the UN Security Council on developments in Abkhazia, covering the period between October, 2008 and January, 2009, the Secretary General lays out six tasks he believes the mission should be entrust with.

The tasks are mainly replicating the mandate, the mission had over a decade and involve regular patrols on the both side of the Abkhaz administrative border, as well as in Kodori Gorge inside the breakaway region; to contribute to the improvement of the humanitarian situation and to the safe and dignified return of displaced persons and refugees; to assist the parties in the further development of a mutually agreed comprehensive security regime; human rights activities and assistance to the Georgian and Abkhaz law enforcement agencies; to liaise with all relevant parties, as well as security and armed forces with a view to preventing tensions;

The sixth task, outlined by the Secretary General, involves monitoring the parties’ adherence “to any elements of a security regime endorsed or reaffirmed by the Security Council and investigate any breaches thereof.”

In the report, which was made public on February 5, Ban Ki-moon also laid out proposals for a possible new five-point security arrangement. The proposed arrangement, to a certain extent, also replicates elements of the 1994 Moscow agreement on ceasefire and separation of forces from which Georgia has pulled out after the August war.

The points outlined by the Secretary General, “considered as a basis for an effective security regime,” are as follow:

• Strict observation of the ceasefire on land, at sea and in the air, and refraining from hostile actions;
• To ban presence of armed forces and equipment in the “security zone” – a 12km area on each side of the Abkhaz administrative border, which was envisaged by the Moscow agreement. The measure will only allow presence of law enforcement personnel of no more than 600 on either side, armed with personal and side arms in this area. Creation of a zone equivalent to the “restricted weapons zone” – larger than 24 km-long security zone, which was envisaged by the Moscow agreement, on each side of the administrative border, where heavy military equipment would not be allowed, including tanks, armoured personnel carriers, all types of artillery and mortars;
• A ban on overflights by military aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles in the zones described above;
• Advance notification of any changes in the deployment of armed personnel and equipment in the zones described above;
• Designation by each party of authorized representatives who, including through UN facilitation, would liaise on both a regular and ad hoc basis to exchanging information, preventing tensions and resolving incidents.

“The foregoing elements do not constitute a comprehensive security regime, nor should they prejudge in any way agreements reached by the parties,” the Secretary General said, adding that the proposal could only serve until renewed agreement on “a comprehensive security regime” is reached.

The Georgian Defense Minister has unilaterally agreed to restrict deployment of its forces in a 15 km radius from the Abkhaz administrative border through a memorandum signed with the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia.

In the report the Secretary General noted that there had been “a considerable number of security incidents involving casualties on both sides” during the reporting period.

“A further deterioration of the situation cannot be excluded,” the report reads.

According to the report currently the strength of the Russian forces in the Gali district on the Abkhaz side of the administrative border stands at one battalion, with supporting components.

In December, UN mission observed a convoy of Russian heavy military equipment, including tanks and self-propelled artillery guns, entering the Gali district, particularly into the “security zone” the 12 km area from the administrative border.

Citing the Russian side’s information, the report says that the Russian forces’ deployment in the area was concentrated in five areas along the administrative border, stretching from the upper Gali district to the Black Sea coast: Lekukhona, Saberio, Chuburkhinji and Nabakevi villages, and a post on the coast.

In addition, according to the report, in December, Abkhaz military convoys including T-55 tanks, armoured personnel carriers, and trucks towing anti-aircraft guns were observed in the lower Gali district along the administrative border.

In Kodori Gorge, upper part of which was controlled by the Georgian side before the August war, the Russian battalion is headquartered in the village of Gentsvisi. The report suggests that the Russian forces have established five posts in the upper Kodori Gorge, including at the Khida and Kalamri-Sukhi passes.

Citing the information provided by the Abkhaz side, 172 residents remained in the gorge for the winter. It said that the breakaway region’s authorities announced that all the local population, estimated up to 2,000, could return if they obtained Abkhaz passports and gave up their Georgian citizenship. Residents of the upper Kodori Gorge fled the area after it was taken over by the Abkhaz and Russian forces in August.

The report also says that on the Georgian side of the administrative border, the Georgian Interior Ministry forces have established new positions and deployed 22 light armoured vehicles, Cobra, which “contributed to the perception of tensions.”

Although calling for the continued presence of UN observer mission, unlike the Secretary General’ previous reports on Abkhazia, the recent report does not recommend continuation of the mandate for a specific period of time.

Ban Ki-moon said that the situation surrounding UN mission was “precarious” after the August war. In October the UN Security Council supported a technical extension of the mandate for four more months pending Geneva talks. However, no specific agreement has been reached in frames of the Geneva talks on the matter. Following the Abkhazia’s recognition, Russia wants a separate UN mission in Abkhazia, which will have no link with the mission headquarters in Tbilisi.