15-29 September 1997, No. 1

Following the arrival of Said Abdullo Nuri, Chairman of the Commission on National Reconciliation (CNR), and United Tajik Opposition CNR members in Dushanbe on 11 September, the Commission held its first plenary meeting in the capital on 15 September.

President Rakhmonov opened the session with welcoming remarks. Mr. Nuri thanked the President for his contribution to peace in the country and pledged CNR’s close cooperation with the President and the Government. He also praised the role of the United Nations in the peace process. The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Tajikistan, Gerd Merrem, addressed the opening ceremony. Representatives of the Contact Group of guarantor states and OSCE also attended the meeting.

This important event marks a major progress towards the comprehensive implementation of the General Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and National Accord in Tajikistan (known as General Agreement), signed on 27 June 1997.

CNR is the principal implementing mechanism for the General Agreement. It consists of 26 members, with equal representation from the Government and UTO. Mr. Abdulmadjid Dostiyev is CNR Deputy Chairman.

Immediately after the opening ceremony, CNR proceeded to establish its four sub-commissions. Based on the Statute on CNR, two sub-commissions are headed by Government and two by UTO representatives. The following is their composition:

Muhammadsharif Himmatzodah,

Homid Pulodov, Abdunabi Sattorzodah,

Rahim Masov, Jumaboy Niyazov

Shermuhammad Shoyev

Military: Habib Sanginov - Chairman (UTO)

Atobek Amirbek, Tagoy Rahmonov

Refugee: Shukurjon Zuhurov - Chairman (gov’t)

Muhammadali Faizmuhammad, Basgul

Dodkhudoyeva, Mirzomuhammadi

Murzohodi, Karomatullo Olimov, Mansur

Jalilzodah

The first week of CNR’s work was marked by efficient and business-like attitude. The sub-commissions began intensive discussions and drafting of their respective programmes and timetable for the implementation of the General Agreement for the entire transitional period.

The political sub-commission is to carry out work regarding 30% allocation of government executive posts to UTO, legalization of political parties and movements, democratization, freedom of mass media, among other tasks outlined in the Protocol on Political Issues.

The legal sub-commission is to deal with issues related to the implementation of the Amnesty Law, release of all POWs and detainees, constitutional amendments, drafting of new electoral and mass media laws and the creation of Central Electoral Commission (25% UTO representation) for the transitional period. An expert group has been

The work of the military sub-commission centres on the implementation of the Protocol on Military Issues, stipulating the disarming, disbanding and reintegration of UTO armed units into government power ministries, as well as reforming government power structures. The sub-commission is to work out more precise modalities of this process. One of the most immediate tasks of this sub-commission is the transfer of remaining UTO 460-fighter unit deployed in Dushanbe, who are to come from Northern Afghanistan. The first part of this unit, 206 fighters were transported from Tavildara to Dushanbe on 5 September.

The sub-commission on refugees focuses on the earliest repatriation of Tajik refugees, especially from Northern Afghanistan and their reintegration into the social, economic and political life of the country.

From 23 to 25 September CNR reviewed the work programmes and timetables of the four sub-commissions. Following the three-day debate, these were unanimously adopted by CNR. Detailes of these programmes will appear in our next Newsletter.

On 26 September, CNR at its plenary meeting adopted an appeal addressed to armed formations in the country whose loyalties are not clear, to declare to CNR their allegiance to one or the other side by 16 November 1997. Armed groups failing to meet this deadline, will be considered illegal and disarmed. The appeal is in line with a provision in the Protocol on Military Issues of 8 March 1997. It also "appealed firmly" to these groups not to impede the implementation of the General Agreement and achievement of peace, adding that CNR "will judge their acts aimed at the disruption of this process as betrayal of the people and the country".

The United Nations System Agencies in Tajikistan, under the leadership of SRSG Gerd Merrem and in close coordination of UNDP, have completed the preparation of a document to be presented to the international donor community to mobilise funds to assist Tajikistan during the transitional period. The initial estimated cost to support the implementation of the General Agreement is US$65 million. A donor conference is being planned to be held at the beginning of November 1997. High-level representatives of the Government of Tajikistan and CNR are also expected to attend the conference.

UNMOT’s current mandate has been extended for two months, until 15 November 1997. United Nations Security Council in adopting Resolution 1128, expressed concern over the security situation in Tajikistan. Secretary-General Kofi Annan in his report to the Council on the situation the country had recommended to extend UNMOT mandate for six months and expand its scope, to enable it to carry out tasks stipulated in the General Agreement.

UNHCR, since mid-July 1997, has repatriated voluntarily over 6,000 Tajik refugees from Northern Afghanistan, through Nizhni-Pianj crossing point. On 25 September the last of Tajik refugees from Kunduz camp returned to the country. An estimated 7,300 Tajik refugees remain in Sakhi camp, near Mazar-i-Sharif. Intensive efforts continue to organize their transfer to Tajikistan through Termez, Uzbekistan. In addition to the repatriation of refugees, UNHCR, together with World Food Programme (WFP) and several NGOs, provides initial material assistance to the returnees at transit areas, as well as in the reconstruction of destroyed homes.

The Joint Commission (JC) on the implementation and monitoring of the cease-fire completed its work on 24 September, after almost three years of activities. During this period JC played a significant role in preventing escalation of hostilities in different parts of the countryand investigating, together with UNMOT, reported cease-fire violations. Its members, five from government and five from UTO side now form a working group under CNR military sub-commission.

A total of 25 POWs were released by UTO field commander, Mirzo Ziyoyev, in Tavildara on the instructions of CNR Chairman, Mr. Nuri, on 17 September, as a gesture of good-will and confidence-building between the parties. Eight of those released were handed to their families in Gorno-Badakhshan and 17 were transported to Dushanbe by helicopter.

The 52nd session of the United Nations General Assembly opened in New York on 16 September. The Secretary-General’s reform package for improving the effectiveness of and streamlining the organization, as well as the expansion of the Security Council, are expected to be the main focuses of the current session.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in presenting to the General Assembly his Report on the Work of the Organization in 1996-1997, made a special reference to the positive developments in Tajikistan, especially the signing of the General Agreement, which has "demonstrated the desire of the Tajik disputants to settle their differences peacefully." He contrasted this with the situation in neighbouring Afghanistan where "the warring parties have shown little interest in a peaceful solution".

The UN General Assembly convenes every year on the third Tuesday in September, lasting three months. The Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Hennadi Udovenko is the President of the 52nd General Assembly.