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Dispute Resolution Committee: General Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and National Accord in Tajikistan

Implementations

Dispute Resolution Committee – 1997

The CNR was a commission representing both sides to monitor and implement the General Agreement and resolve disputes over implementation. Its first meeting took place between 7 and 11 July 1997, and the commission adopted an Act on Mutual Forgiveness. The Act was then adopted by the parliament on 1 August 1997.¹ In its September meeting, the CNR started debates on changes to the constitution as well as extending position to UTO leaders.² The CNR also started to work on settlement of IDPs and Refugees, IDPs and integration and reintegration of UTO combatants. The CNR was also responsible for resolving disputes regarding ceasefire violations and other matters.

“Report of the Secretary-General on the Situation in Tajikistan,” United Nations (S/1997/686), September 4, 1997.
“Report of the Secretary-General on the Situation in Tajikistan,” United Nations (S/1997/859), November 5, 1997.

Dispute Resolution Committee – 1998

The CNR was operational in 1998 and the commision debated and drafted several amendments to the Tajikistani constitution.³

Rahmatillo Zoir and Scott Newton, “Constitutional and Legislative Reform,” in Politics of Compromise: the Tajikistan Peace Process, eds. K. Abdullaev and C. Barnes (London: Conciliation Resources), Accord 10:54-59.

Dispute Resolution Committee – 1999

The CNR remained active in 1999 and most of its mandates were met. Legislative reform was fully implemented. A new upper house of Parliament was established with regional representation on 30 June 1999. Religious political parties were allowed under amended article 28.⁴

Ibid.

Dispute Resolution Committee – 2000

The last meeting of CNR took place on 26 March 2000. The meeting was attended by all stakeholders from both sides in presence of the Contact Group of Guarantor States and International Organizations. In the meeting, both sides acknowledged that some tasks mandated by the General Agreement remained unfinished, which could be addressed by appropriate Government bodies. The CNR was dissolved by presidential decree on 1 April 2000.

Parliamentary elections were held in 2000. Over 80 per cent of the members elected or appointed to the new upper house in the 2000 elections were executive branch officials who were allowed to run in the regional house elections.¹ Several constitutional changes were passed by popular referendum in September 1999 with 72 percent of the vote. The major changes included the creation of a new upper house of Parliament, the lifting of the ban on UTO political parties and updating the process to amend the constitution by popular referendum.²

Ibid.
Ibid.