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FUTURE OF SECURITY
SITUATION IN GEORGIA REMAINS UNCLEAR; ROLE OF UN MISSION UNDER
DISCUSSION, BY CAROLINE PATTON:
06/10/2008
(MaximsNews Network)
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UNITED
NATIONS - / MaximsNews Network / 6
October 2008 --Recent
events in
Georgia
have left the security of the country in doubt, as well as the continued
operations of the UN mission there. The UN mission has been operating in
Georgia
for 14 years and was charged with ensuring that the conflict between Georgia
and Abkhaz groups seeking independence did not reignite and overseeing CIS
peacekeeping troops.
Presently
there are 134 military observers, 17 police,
85 international civilians and approximately
175 local civilians involved in the UN
Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) and the
UN has sought an additional four months its
term. But with the mission’s future
uncertain, so are the stability of the country
and the status of still simmering tensions.
Ban
Ki-Moon had said that he has “received
formal indications from the Georgian and Abkhaz sides that they support the
continuation of the Mission.” But, “It is not yet known which
features, if any, of the 1994
Moscow
[ceasefire] Agreement that forms the basis of
the
Mission
’s observation mandate will be retained when
the current security discussions conclude.”
And
the Secretary-General explained that, “In
particular, there is as yet little clarity as
to the future status of what has so far
constituted the area of responsibility of
UNOMIG, namely the security zone, where no
military presence was permitted, the
restricted weapons zone, where no heavy
weapons could be introduced, and the Kodori
Valley [in Abkhazia].”
The
UN has sought the four month extension in
order to facilitate its continue role in
keeping peace in Georgia and sees the ongoing
tensions as a sign that its mediating role
continues to be needed and the
Secretary-General explained that, “It is in
this context that I recommend to the Security
Council that it extend the mandate of the
Mission on a technical basis for a period of
four months, until 15 February 2009.”
Also
up in the air is the security situation in
South Ossetia, over which
Georgia
and
Russia
clashed back in August and which has a history
of conflict. The region is outside UNOMIG’s
mandate so even if it is allowed to extend its
tenure, it will not be able to prevent renewed
fighting within the region.
Nor
does it appear likely that either
Russia
or
Georgia
will step in to do so. The UN does not
anticipate that the Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS) peacekeeping troops
deployed in Abkhazia in the Abkhazia region
operate to stem clashes in
South Ossetia
and says that there may be no mechanism in
place to do so.
The
UN has said that, “Under these
circumstances, it is too early at this stage
to define the role that UNOMIG may play in the
future.” However, Ban Ki-Moon told the
international community that “as long as
international involvement in the
Georgian-Abkhaz conflict is seen as helping to
prevent future conflict, UNOMIG may be called
upon to make a contribution.
The
security situation in Georgia
is especially important for humanitarian and
aid operations which are ongoing after the
violence and displacement of August’s
fighting. Around 192,000 people had to flee
during the conflict and many have not yet
returned to their houses.
Walter
Kälin, the Secretary-General's Representative
on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced
Persons has recently returned from four days
in Georgia, during which he spoke to a variety of actors
from government officials to internally
displaced persons. He has expressed worries
about the plight of noncombatants now located
in the no-man’s land of the “buffer
zone” separating secessionist South Ossetia
from
Georgia
proper.
He
reported that, “The continuing lack of
effective protection of the population against
violence committed by armed elements and
widespread looting of property in the buffer
zone north of [the town of] Gori is
unacceptable and should cease immediately.”
Kälin also spoke of reports that the
population is scared.
He
held that, “The need for a stronger
humanitarian presence and for ensuring
continuous protection monitoring in those
areas is urgent and the deployment of the
European Union (EU) Monitoring Mission is a
welcome first step.”
The
Secretary-General concluded that, “While the
role of UNOMIG may need to be adjusted, I do
believe that the United Nations should
continue to place the experience of UNOMIG at
the disposal of the two sides and the
international community in order to respond in
the best possible way to the demands of
conflict prevention and conflict
resolution.”
--- Caroline
Patton
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