The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved a resolution yesterday extending until July 31 the mandate of the U.N. Observer Mission in Georgia, which is responsible for monitoring a cease-fire between Georgian forces and separatist Abkhaz rebels.

The council also said it would further review the mandate of UNOMIG unless a decision is reached on the fate of the Commonwealth of Independent States peacekeeping force by Feb. 15 (U.N. release, Jan. 30).  Today, a top presidential aide to the leader of the breakaway republic of Abkhazia told Civil Georgia that the peacekeeping force, which consists almost entirely of Russian troops, is "the only guarantee of peace and stability in the region," and reiterated Abkhaz opposition to any withdrawal (Civil Georgia, Jan. 31).

In its resolution yesterday, the council also gave its full backing to efforts to resolve the status of Abkhazia within the state of Georgia, expressing its regret about the failure to start talks and emphasizing that the proposals outlined in the "Basic Principles for the Distribution of Competences between Tbilisi and Sukhumi" aim to foster negotiations between the two sides and are not part of "an attempt to impose or dictate any specific solution to the parties."

The council said it "deeply" regretted the refusal of the Abkhaz side to discuss the document, which proposes autonomy for Abkhazia within a Georgian state, and called on "those having influence with the parties to promote this outcome" -- a likely reference to Russia, which maintains good relations with the Abkhaz government.

The council also called on the Georgians to improve security for joint UNOMIG-CIS peacekeeping patrols in the tense Kodori Valley and underlined that it is up to both sides to provide security to and ensure free movement for both the CIS and UNOMIG forces. 

In addition to renewing its call for more investigations by both sides to determine who was responsible for the downing of a UNOMIG helicopter in October 2001, the council also stressed the urgent need for progress on the issue of refugees and internally displaced persons who were forced from their homes because of armed conflict nearly 10 years ago.  Referring to their return as a "burning issue," the background to the resolution notes that no progress on their situation has been made since a 1994 agreement on their voluntary return (U.N. release).