Tajikistan: what lies on the horizon?

An agreement to establish a Commission on National Reconciliation for the period of 12 to 18 months - within which the inter-Tajik talks and the implementation of the agreements reached during them must be completed - marked the 23 December 1996 Moscow meeting between President Emomali Rakhmonov of Tajikistan and the leader of the United Tajik Opposition (UTO), Abdullo Nuri.

Both leaders - in understanding the "ruinous nature of the military and political confrontation, and aware of the high responsibility for the future of the Tajik people and State", and bearing in mind that the signature of the Moscow agreement marked the "beginning of a qualitatively new phase in the attainment of peace and national reconcilation" - also agreed that there was a "need to implement a universal amnesty and reciprocal pardoning" and to conduct within the shortest possible time a "full exchange of prisoners of war and other prisoners". They asked the United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan (UNMOT) and the International Committee of the Red Cross to "extend the necessary assistance for the conduct of this humanitarian activity".

UNMOT extended

The Security Council on 13 December - in expressing its grave concern at the continuing deterioration of the situation in Tajikistan and stressing the urgent need for the Government and the UTO leadership to adhere sincerely to their commitments to resolve the conflict and "achieve national reconciliation exclusively through peaceful, political means on the basis of mutual concessions and compromises" - extended the UNMOT mandate until 15 March 1997, subject to the proviso that the 1994 Tehran Agreement on cessation of hostilities remained in force and the parties "demonstrate their commitment to an effective cease-fire, to national reconciliation and to the promotion of democracy".

By unanimously adopting resolution 1089 (1996), the Council also decided that the extension would remain in effect unless the Secretary-General reported that the stated conditions had not been met. It welcomed the meeting on 10 and 11 December between President Rakhmonov and Mr. Nuri, and encouraged them to continue their dialogue.

In expressing "deep concern over the worsening of the humanitarian situation" in Tajikistan, the Council called upon Member States and others concerned to "respond promptly and generously" to the consolidated inter-agency donor alert on urgent humanitarian needs, for the period from 1 December 1996 to 31...