UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- The U.N. Security Council is uneasy at the continuing tension between Abkhaz separatists and Georgian authorities.
However, the panel of 15 says it also sees some positive developments in recent months, namely the resumption of joint United Nations patrols in the Kodori Valley in December after a break of three years.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative for Georgia Jean Arnault briefed the council Wednesday and also discussed the latest report on the U.N. Observer Mission in Georgia, which was issued last week.
"Along with concern at some of the aspects of the continuing tense situation in the region, members of the council have also expressed satisfaction at some developments," said Ambassador Vitaly Churkin of Russia, this month's president of the council.
"Especially important is that finally the U.N. monitoring presence there and the Commonwealth of Independent States peacekeeping presence have been able to resume their periodic joint monitoring of the situation in the Upper Kodori Valley," he told reporters.
UNOMIG patrolled the lower and upper parts of the valley on Dec. 13-16 with members of the CIS peacekeeping forces after breaking off its patrols in June 2003 when U.N. military observers were taken hostage.
The U.N. mission has said the resumption should de-escalate tensions in the region, where fighting between the government and separatists 14 years ago forced nearly 300,000 refugees to flee their homes.
However, in his report to the council last week, Ban said recent violence could escalate and urged all sides to "engage in dialogue," saying there must be negotiations.
