  We consider the link invariants defined by the quantum Chern-Simons field
theory with compact gauge group U(1) in a closed oriented 3-manifold M. The
relation of the abelian link invariants with the homology group of the
complement of the links is discussed. We prove that, when M is a homology
sphere or when a link -in a generic manifold M- is homologically trivial, the
associated observables coincide with the observables of the sphere S^3. Finally
we show that the U(1) Reshetikhin-Turaev surgery invariant of the manifold M is
not a function of the homology group only, nor a function of the homotopy type
of M alone.
