She says (about Abkhazia): « This area is such a forgotten spot, which is of course not in the interest of a world that gets smaller and smaller and more inter-dependent ». (full text).
Swiss ambassador Heidi Tagliavini, Head of the UN Peace mission in Georgia from 2002 to 2006, delivers an address.
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Heidi Tagliavini – Switzerland
She works for UNOMIG, United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia.
She says also: « Well, I believe, certainly one of the most important achievements, in my opinion, is the fact, that we kept stability on the ground. You remember that we had in previous years [instability], in 1998 there were clashes, in 2001 there had been difficulties, including in the Kodori Valley. In 2002, we again had a fight in the Kodori Valley and we were very often very narrow[minded] to an overtaking of, I would say, just the readiness not to keep the stability. So, I believe this is a very important achievement. The second thing I think, maybe this is not me who should actually judge this, but I really understand that the relations between the interlocutors on both sides have dramatically changed. It is a very positive relationship with all the differences they have in their approach, but dialogue has never been really interrupted. Even when it was interrupted, it was with the clear intention to let the situation clarify and to come back to the negotiation table. So, there is a good atmosphere, which I think in part I am the reason for ». (full text).
STATEMENT BY AMBASSADOR HEIDI TAGLIAVINI, DEPUTY STATE SECRETARY AND HEAD OF THE DELEGATION OF SWITZERLAND, AT THE FOURTEENTH MEETING OF THE OSCE MINISTERIAL COUNCIL, Brussels, 4 and 5 December 2006.
« Developments in Sri Lanka in the past months have seriously endangered the peace process, » said Switzerland Foreign Affairs Deputy Head Ambassador Heidi Tagliavini who gave the opening address wishing the facilitator and the Parties better understanding, in Geneva Saturday. Stressing the need for « confidence in the Norwegian Government as facilitator seeking ways to lead the delegations to a better mutual understanding, confidence in the other Party as a partner with whom one can engage, » Ms. Heidi Tagliavini said the International Community the recent developments in Sri Lanka have caused considerable concern within the International Community. (full text, Oct. 28, 2006).
Secretary-General Appoints Heidi Tagliavini of Switzerland As Special Representative for Georgia, Head of UNOMIG.
On 12 December 2007 the following statement was issued by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: The Secretary-General has taken note of the concerns expressed by the two sides to the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict and allegations made by both sides about impending threats and major build-up of armed forces in the zone of conflict and the Kodori valley. The United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) has been conducting daily verification of these claims, many of which have, so far, not been confirmed by the situation on the ground. In the current volatile context, the Secretary-General calls for calm and restraint. He supports the call made by the Security Council in its resolution 1781 (2007) of 15 October, which « strongly urges all parties to consider and address seriously each other’s legitimate security concerns, to refrain from any acts of violence and provocation, including political action or rhetoric, and to comply fully with previous agreements regarding ceasefire and non-use of violence. » (UNOMIG).
EU statement in response to the Address by UN SRSG in Georgia, Ambassador Tagliavini, and to the report by the Head of the OSCE Mission to Georgia, Ambassador Reeve. (full text, 13/10/05).
The whole UNOMIG AOR is divided into two parts by the Cease Fire Line (CFL) . While the CFL follows the INGURI River for almost two-thirds of the line, the former border of the ABK Autonomous Republic marks the remaining one-third portion on the eastern side leading to the North. The terrain varies in the Zugdidi AOR. In the West the ground is lowland and flood plains interspersed with the odd hills. The ground gets progressively hilly toward the East and becomes mountainous in the North and Northeast (INGURI Dam). Rivers bisect the area flowing from the Northeast to the Southwest. The major rivers are the INGURI and KHOBI, in the South/Southwest and the INGURI, CHNIS-TSKALI/INIRA and KHOBA-TSKALI in the North/Northeast. (UNOMIG, page last Updated on 31 January, 2006 ).
State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Grigory Karasin meets with Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Georgia Heidi Tagliavini.
Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Georgia, Heidi Tagliavini To Visit Sukhumi, 21/02/2006.
Georgian-Abkhaz conflict settlement was the main topic of discussion between the new de facto Prime-Minister of Abkhazia, Mr. Khadzhimba, and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Georgia (SRSG), Ms. Heidi Tagliavini, and Deputy SRSG Ms. Roza Otunbayeva. The meeting was held on 29 April 2003 behind the closed doors. « I’m satisfied with the results of the meeting, » Ms. Heidi Tagliavini said when she briefed journalists. She wished the new de facto Prime-Minister happiness and success in forming the new Cabinet. They have discussed the results of Geneva meeting of the Group of Friends of the UN Secretary General on Georgia of February 2003, as well as the outcome of the Sochi summit of the two Presidents in March 2003. « In the near future we will meet again to discuss the issues related to a peaceful resolution of the conflict, » said Ms. Tagliavini. A second meeting of the Group of Friends of the UN Secretary General on Georgia is scheduled for June this year. Ms. Tagliavini informed her interlocutors about her last meeting with the Special Representative of the President of Russian Federation in Georgian-Abkhaz negotiations, Mr. Valeri Loshchinin. At the same time Georgian Minister for Special Affairs, Malkhaz Kakabadze stated that the Georgian side has had a positive experience with the new de facto Abkhaz Premier. « We have conducted rather constructive negotiations within the framework of the First Working Group for Security and we hope our relationship will continue and that we will progress in the peace process, which has been rather stagnant over the past months, » Kakabadze said. Source: UNOMIG. (full long text).
Related Links on the UNOMIG webpage;
She says also: … « The first meeting of the working group on refugees/IDPs took place on June 16. There was a constructive atmosphere at the meeting and a common understanding that the IDPs should return. Proposals regarding the return of IDPs are now being collected and we will address them very soon in more detail. As for the UN role in return of displaced persons, this has been one of the classical functions of the organization. UNHCR is quite clearly a lead body for IDP and refugee returns in general. But in the UN-led Georgian-Abkhaz peace process the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) has a leading role and UNHCR Tbilisi Office closely works with us. In whichever form IDP return is to take place whether in the frames of Geneva process or Sochi decisions the chief role of the UN is to ensure one crucial parameter – return of displaced persons in security and dignity » … (full interviw text).
Talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Geneva.
GEORGIAN AND ABKHAZ DELEGATIONS JOINT WORKING VISIT TO BALKANS, LED BY THE SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UN SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR GEORGIA, AMB. HEIDI TAGLAIVINI, TO SHARE THE POST CONFLICT EXPERIENCE – In light of the importance of the Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, Serbia/Montenegro, post conflict experiences, UNOMIG proposed to the Georgian and Abkhaz sides, a working visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina and to Kosovo, Serbia/Montenegro. (UNOMIG, page last Updated on 01 May, 2005).
GENDER CONTENT OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL’S RESOLUTIONS ADDRESSING ALL CURRENT AND UPCOMING PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, based on an analysis by the UN Office of the Special Advisor on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI), compiled by the WILPF UN Office, PeaceWomen Project. PeaceWomen has also developed a “Compilation of Language on Women/Gender in all country-specific Security Council Resolutions adopted since October 2000” organized by theme. Here the list of the themes addressed in this compilation.
NZZ Folio September 2003, Madame Courage.
In ausweglosen Situationen das Gespräch suchen und Frieden stiften, das ist der Job der Schweizer Topdiplomatin Heidi Tagliavini. Sie war Sonderbeauftragte des UNO-Generalsekretärs für Georgien und Leiterin der UNO-Beobachtermission in Tiflis. Im ersten Tschetschenien-Krieg hat sie in Grosny das Elend im Kaukasus hautnah miterlebt. Seit kurzem ist sie stellvertretende politische Direktorin in der Politischen Direktion des Eidgenössischen Departements für auswärtige Angelegenheiten (EDA). In der „Sternstunde Philosophie“ gibt Heidi Tagliavini am Beispiel des Kaukasus Einblick in die Chancen und Grenzen der Diplomatie. Literaturhinweis: Freimut Duve, Heidi Tagliavini, Kaukasus – Verteidigung der Zukunft. 24 Autoren auf der Suche nach Frieden. Folio Verlagsgesellschaft, Wien 2001. (Sternstunde Philosophie, Februar 2007).
Heidi TAGLIAVINI, de nationalité suisse, a été Représentante spéciale pour la Géorgie et Chef de la Mission d’Observation des Nations Unies dans ce pays (MONUG), du 23 mai 2002 au 16 juillet 2006. Le Français Jean Arnault a pris sa succesion. Elle a été Chef adjointe de la MONUG, puis Représentante personnelle du Responsable de l’Organisation pour la sécurité et la coopération en Europe (OSCE) pour le Caucase. En 1995, elle était membre du premier groupe d’assistance à la Tchétchénie de l’OSCE. Depuis 2001, elle était Ambassadeur de la Suisse en Bosnie-Herzégovine. (operations paix).
links:
International peace-keeping operations;
II. Conflict Prevention and Crisis Management, 6th Representative on Freedom of the Media / Freedom of Information, Documents and Bibliographies;
photo coverage, oct. 2003;
… Information Bulletin, Georgia: Situation in Abkhazia;