Situation still 'extremely unstable.'(United Nations relations with Georgia)

The Security Council on 12 May, in extending the mandate of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) for another eight months, until 12 January 1996, expressed concern over "insufficient progress" achieved towards a comprehensive political settlement in the region.

By unanimously adopting resolution 993 (1995), it also decided that the extension was subject to its review if any changes were made in the mandate of the peace-keeping force of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), deployed in Abkhazia-a smafl Black Sea region of Georgia.

The Council called upon the parties to reach substantive progress in their negotiations-held under UN auspices, with the assistance of the Russian Federation as facilitator and the participation of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe-and urged them to "refrain from any unilateral actions which could complicate or hinder the political process aimed at an early and comprehensive political settlement".

It reiterated its call to the Abkhaz side to accelerate significantly the process of the voluntary return of refugees and displaced persons, guarantee the "safety of spontaneous returne " already in the area and regularize their status in accordance with the 4 April 1994 Quadripartite Agreement.

The parties were also called upon to improve their cooperation with UNOMIG and the CIS peace-keeping force in the Gali region, aimed at "improving conditions for the safe and orderly return of refugees and displaced persons", and honour their commitments with regard to the security and freedom of movement of all UN and CIS personnel.

In recommending the Mission's extension, Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali on 1 May warned that the unfimely withdrawal of the CIS peace-keeping force and UNOMIG would lead to "open confrontation and the...