Mission expanded to monitor pact; peacemaking efforts continue.

PositionGeorgia, Asia

An increase up to 136 military observers in the strength of the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) was authorized by the Security Council on 21 July. It currently had 55 members. in unanimously adopting resolution 937 (1994), the Council also extended the Mission' mandate until 13 January 199 5. An expanded UNOMIG, the Council said, could monitor implementation by Georgia and Abkhazia--a small Black Sea enclave attempting to secede from Georgia--of the 14 May Agreement on a Cease-fire and Separation of Forces signed in Moscow, and observe the operation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) peace-keeping force.

In addition, the Mission was to verify that troops and heavy military equipment did not remain in or return to a 24-kilometre-wide security zone, established under the Agreement, or to the restricted weapons zones.

Also under its new mandate, UNOMIG was to: monitor the storage areas for heavy military equipment withdrawn from those zones; monitor the withdrawal of Georgian troops from the Kodori valley, while regularly patrolling the area; investigate reported or alleged violations of the Agreement and attempt to resolve such incidents; and maintain close contacts with both parties to the conflict, cooperate with the CIS peace-keeping force and, by its presence, contribute to conditions conducive to the safe and orderly return of refugees and displaced persons.

The Secretary-General was asked to establish an appropriate arrangement for delineating the respective roles and responsibilities of UNOMIG and the CIS peace-keeping force, and set up a voluntary fund for contributions in support of the Agreement implementation.

Welcoming the parties' wish to see the UN actively involved in the search for a political settlement, the Council also asked them for "full support, necessary protection and freedom of movement" for UNOMIG, both within the zone of operations of the CIS peace-keeping force and in other relevant parts of Georgia.

On 31 August, Albania, Cuba, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Turkey and the United States were added to the list of countries contributing troops to UNOMIG.

'Relative calm'

The situation on the ground in Abkhazia was relatively calm and had "improved with the arrival of the CIS peace-keeping force in the...

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