In a statement to the press read out by the Council President for May, Ambassador Ellen Margrethe Løj of Denmark, the 15-member body welcomed the high-level meeting of the Group of Friends last month in Geneva, where both sides participated for the first time since July 2004 and expressed their willingness to intensify the search for a settlement of the conflict by peaceful means only.

Council members also expressed their support for the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) and Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Representative, Heidi Tagliavini, "in the efforts to promote dialogue between the parties on political and security issues, the return of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), and economic cooperation, as well as for her intent to take advantage of the momentum achieved in Geneva in this regard," Ambassador Løj said.

"They urged the parties to act upon their expressed willingness to renew dialogue on these priority areas and ensure early resumption of the work in the relevant task forces and working groups," she added.

The statement came after the Council heard a closed-door briefing by the Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, who presented a report on the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia, and the activity of UNOMIG. The Special Envoy of the President of Georgia for Conflict-Resolution in Abkhazia, Georgia, Irakli Alasania, also made a statement.

Source: UN News Centre