Agreement On A Ceasefire And Separation Of Forces, Signed In Moscow On 14 May 1994

In the Declaration on Measures for a Political Settlement of the Georgian–Abkhaz Conflict, signed in Moscow on 4 April 1994 (S/1994/397, annex I), the Parties committed themselves to strict compliance with a formal ceasefire from that date, and once again reaffirmed their commitment to the non-use of force or threat of the use of force against each other, as expressed in their communiqué of 13 January 1994. That commitment remains valid. This Agreement on a Ceasefire and Separation of Forces formalizes that commitment.

1. The parties shall scrupulously observe the ceasefire on land, at sea and in the air and shall refrain from all military actions against each other.
2. The armed forces of the parties shall be separated in accordance with the following principles: (a) The area between lines B and D on the attached map (see appendix) shall constitute a security zone. There shall be no armed forces or heavy military equipment within this zone. The territory between lines A and B and lines D and E shall constitute a restricted-weapons zone. There shall be no heavy military equipment within this zone. The local civil authorities shall function in the security zone and the restricted-weapons zone. The police/militia employed for this purpose may carry personal arms; Heavy military equipment includes: (i)All artillery and mortars of a calibre exceeding 80 mm; (ii) All tanks; (iii) All armoured transport vehicles; (b) The peacekeeping force of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the military observers, in accordance with the Protocol to this Agreement, shall be deployed in the security zone to monitor compliance with this Agreement; (c) The heavy military equipment to be withdrawn from the security zone and the restricted-weapons zone shall be stored in designated areas to be determined by the parties and shall be monitored by United Nations military observers; (d) Under the supervision of representatives of the peacekeeping force of the Commonwealth of Independent States and United Nations observers, with the participation of representatives of the parties from the Kodori volley, the troops of the Republic of Georgia shall be withdrawn to their places of deployment beyond the frontiers of Abkhazia; A regular patrol of the peacekeeping force and international observers shall be organized concurrently in the Kodori valley; (e) All volunteer formations made up of persons from beyond the frontiers of Abkhazia shall be disbanded and withdrawn; (f) The movement of units and subunits of the peacekeeping force and of the international observers outside the security zone in the relevant areas shall be subject to agreement with the parties; (g) United Nations military observers shall also monitor the coastal waters and airspace between lines A and D; (h) In the event of an attack or a direct military threat against the peacekeeping force, it shall take appropriate measures for its safety and self-defence.
3. The precise demarcation on a detailed map and a plan for the separation of forces in the initial phase of the deployment of the peacekeeping force shall be worked out by the command of the peacekeeping force with the participation of the parties in the context of a step-by-step, comprehensive settlement, with a continuation of the return of refugees and displaced persons and in compliance with this Agreement, in a working group, which shall begin its work to this end in Moscow within five days after the signing of this Agreement. It shall complete this task within five days. Disengagement shall commence five days after the working group has completed its task. The process of disengagement shall be completed no later than 10 days after it has commenced.
4. A map indicating the security zone and the restricted-weapons zone is contained in the appendix. Protocol. The Protocol concerning the peacekeeping force of the Commonwealth of Independent States is as follows: ‘The parties agree that: ‘The function of the peacekeeping force of the Commonwealth of Independent States shall be to exert its best efforts to maintain the ceasefire and to see that it is scrupulously observed. Further, its presence should promote the safe return of refugees and displaced persons, especially to the Gali region. It shall supervise the implementation of the Agreement and the Protocol thereto with regard to the security zone and the restricted-weapons zone. In carrying out its mission, the force shall comply with local laws and regulations and shall not impede the functioning of the local civil administration. It shall enjoy freedom of movement in the security zone and the restricted-weapons zone and freedom of communications, and other facilities needed to fulfil its mission. ‘The peacekeeping force of the Commonwealth of Independent States shall operate under the Interim Unified Command and the Commander of the peacekeeping Force.’
5. The process of achieving a comprehensive political settlement shall be pursued.
6. The parties appeal to the United Nations Security Council to expand the mandate of the United Nations military observers in order to provide for their participation in the operations indicated above.
7. On the basis of the statement by the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States dated 15 April 1994 (S/1994/476, annex), the parties appeal to the Council to take a decision on the use of a collective peacekeeping force within the zone of the Georgian–Abkhaz conflict.

For the Georgian side: (Signed) J. Ioseliani For the Abkhaz side: (Signed) S. Jinjolia

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