On July 29, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1554, which provides for extending the UN observers' mandate in the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict zone until January 31, 2005.
"The adopted resolution of the UN Security Council shall encourage the sides to continue the search of mutually acceptable agreements on the most pressing issues, which is necessary for stable and comprehensive settlement of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict. The Russian side will continue to take all necessary steps in this direction, including those based on the resolution's constructive potential", reads the Russian Foreign Ministry's statement.
The resolution appreciates and decisively supports the continuous efforts of the UN assisted by the Russian Federation as a facilitating party on stabilizing the situation and achieving comprehensive settlement in Abkhazia.
The Council called on the Georgian and Abkhaz sides to spare no efforts to overcome the mutual mistrust and refrain from any steps, which could interfere with the peace process. It also emphasizes the importance for the process of the specific results in three priority areas: economic cooperation, return of internally displaced persons and refugees, as well as political and security issues. Appreciated, in particular, as a contribution to solving one of the specified tasks are the recent sessions of the Sochi working group devoted to the problem of internally displaced persons and refugees.
Taking into account the importance of maintaining peaceful situation in the Kodori Gorge as well as Russia's security interests, the resolution contains an appeal to the Georgian side to provide comprehensive security guarantees allowing joint patrols and regular supervision of the situation in the upper part of the Kodori Gorge.
