Ban Ki-Moon’s Caucasian Diplomacy

The UN Security Council discussed a possibility of the mission's mandate extension in South Caucasus. The closed consultations were held in the organization's headquarters in New York on February 10.

Security Council members discussed the tasks and the mandate of the UN mission as well as its title, RIA Novosti reports. The group of countries supporting the General Secretary in Georgian-Abkhazian settlement - Russia, the USA, Great Britain, France and Germany (non a SC member) - were active participants of the discussion.

Ban Ki-Moon, United Nations Secretary-General, recommended continuation of the observer mission in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone to the Security Council. As "Kavkazsky uzel" informs it was mentioned in his report published last week:

"Taking account of the precarious security situation and in order to contribute to the well-being of local populations, I propose that the Council endorse the continued presence of a United Nations mission, retaining the current configuration and deployment"

Ban Ki-Moon diplomatically sidesteps the contradictions making the UN mission in the region wind up (the mandate expires on February 15 - A. G.). Following Russia's and Nicaragua's recognition of Abkhazia's independence Moscow and Sukhum insist that the "the UN Mission in Georgia" title be modified.

Avoiding acute angles the Secretary-General restrains himself by saying about the "precarious situation" in the region offering a list of measures for security provision. However this is not enough. "A ban on overflights by military aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles" is surely a good proposal. It does not solve the main problem: how can a new mandate acceptable to all members be worked out?

According to diplomatic sources RIA Novosti reports that one of the options of the UN mission's future in South Ossetia is establishment of independent representations of the organization in Georgia and Abkhazia. However the USA are against it standing for "technical prolongation" of the mandate. This is what was done last October.

This development is forecast by Georgia's State Minister for Reintegration Temur Yakobashvili. This is what he stated in his interview with GHN:

"The UN continuation in Georgia is of great significance. Though there are issues the Georgian side will never accept like formation of independent missions. For instance the mission in Abkhazia and so on".

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