Following the conclusion of the Second Session of the UNPO Presidency, held from 31 May to 3 June in the Republic of Abkhazia, the UNPO Presidency adopted the following Declaration on 2 June 2007, addressed to members of the international community, including; the G-8, the United Nations Security Council, the European Commission, the OSCE, the UNHCR, the Head of UNOMIG, and European and National Parliamentarians.

Declaration

Adopted by the UNPO Presidency on 2 June 2007 in the Republic of Abkhazia

The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) is an international membership organisation. Its members are minorities, indigenous populations, and unrecognised or occupied states and territories, who have joined together to promote and protect their economic, political, social, cultural, and human rights, and to find nonviolent solutions to the conflicts which affect them.

The UNPO Presidency, which met in the Republic of Abkhazia from 31 May to 3 June 2007, wishes to extend to the Government and people of Abkhazia their most sincere appreciation and gratitude for their hospitality and generosity.

The Presidency meeting reaffirmed UNPO’s confidence in the Government of the Republic of Abkhazia’s commitment to move beyond the era of conflict by developing democratic and transparent institutions, based on the rule of law, as well as an open and free economy and society. UNPO welcomes in particular the recently adopted moratorium on the death penalty, as well as its determination to join other international instruments of human rights protection. The UNPO Presidency observed however also first hand the extent to which economic and political development remain hampered by the ongoing isolation of the Abkhaz Government and people.

The UNPO Presidency consequently urges the international community’s consideration of the following recommendations;

i. Encourage both sides of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict to honour their commitment to nonviolent conflict resolution by creating a climate for negotiations free of both fear and suspicion. The principal preconditions for such a negotiating climate being the withdrawal of all troops from the respective territories, restraint from acts of provocation, a firm commitment to the protection of minorities living within either territory, and a willingness to honour agreements signed by both sides under the auspicious of the UN and OSCE;

ii. Recognise that whilst both sides to the conflict must carry realistic expectations into negotiations, the international community must also take a realistic view of the current situation in Abkhazia. At a time during which we are attempting to undo the damage inflicted by authoritarian regimes around the world, this will include accepting the legitimate claims of the Abkhaz people, expressed within a democratic framework, and offering a platform upon which to build future cooperation, peace, and stability in the region;

iii. Appreciate that whilst the cases of Kosova and Abkhazia differ significantly, the international community is on the verge of acknowledging that unresolved conflicts with their roots in the collapse of the USSR might require innovative solutions and potentially difficult decisions on behalf of existing state parties;

iv. Strengthen the process of dialogue and reconciliation by supporting the reconstruction of Abkhaz society and its economy following the destruction of war, and by facilitating the further development of democratic and transparent institutions through devoting additional funding to projects designed specifically to benefit the people of Abkhazia;

v. Accept that the current embargo against Abkhazia imposes only additional hardships upon its people; denying them their right to adequate healthcare, education, and employment opportunities. Noting also that the embargo further complicates the return of those displaced during conflicts in region, as although Abkhazia faces pressure to complete the return of Georgians displaced from its territory, having unilaterally already facilitated the return of more than 60,000 refugees, the embargo prevents the effective repatriation of displaced Abkhazians; and

vi. Call upon European and national Parliaments and Parliamentarians to establish relationships and dialogue with their parliamentary colleagues in the Republic of Abkhazia.