U.S. Mission to OSCE Statement on the Situation in Georgia (September 3)
United States Mission to the OSCE
Statement on the Situation in Georgia
As delivered by Chargé d'Affaires Carol Fuller to the Permanent Council, Vienna
September 3, 2009
Madam Chairwoman,
Today, a year after the August
2008 war, the situation in Georgia remains a matter of grave concern. A little
over a year ago, Russia invaded a sovereign state, in clear violation of the
principles and commitments of the Helsinki Final Act, and unilaterally declared
the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia to be independent states.
Russia has stationed thousands of Russian forces in both regions and posted
hundreds of Russian border guards along the administrative boundary lines. Now,
Russia intends to deepen military and economic ties still further, according to
plans announced by Russian Prime Minister Putin on his August 12 visit to the
Abkhazia region.
These acts are matters of great
concern, as is the plight of civilians in the region. Human rights abuses in
the separatist regions are serious and ongoing. We regularly hear reports of
abductions, detentions, robberies, and home demolitions, often directed against
persons of Georgian ethnicity, and we frequently receive reports of explosions and
gunfire along the administrative boundary lines. Civilians' freedom of movement
is restricted, and men and women encounter difficulties when going about their
daily lives. We strongly urge all parties to respect the human rights of all
individuals in the conflict areas, and to work to create conditions for the
safe, dignified, and voluntary return of internally displaced persons and
refugees.
We once again call on Russia to
meet its commitments under the August 12 and September 8 agreements. Russia
committed not only to withdraw its troops to positions held prior to the start
of hostilities, but also to provide free and unhindered humanitarian access to
the South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions of Georgia. Russia's characterization of
these regions as independent does not relieve it of these high-level
commitments.
International support for efforts
to restore security and stability in Georgia is critical.
The OSCE, the UN, and
the EU have coordinated the Geneva discussions on Georgia and facilitated
meetings of the joint incident prevention and response mechanisms agreed in
February. Recent meetings have allowed for useful discussions of security
incidents and improved communication across the administrative boundary lines.
We hope participants will continue to meet regularly, and will make full use of
hotlines and other means of preventing conflict.
We once again commend the EU for
playing a particularly valuable role in Georgia. Although denied access to the
South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions, the EU Monitoring Mission has done an
admirable job objectively monitoring implementation of the August 12 and
September 8 agreements, and providing accurate reports about developments on
the ground. We fully support the mission, and continue to back its call for
unrestricted access to the whole of Georgia, including its South Ossetia and
Abkhazia regions. It is only with this access that monitors can accurately
assess reports of violence and prevent them from escalating.
As we work toward a long-term,
peaceful resolution of the conflict, continued OSCE engagement in Georgia is
essential, particularly as Georgia continues its efforts to strengthen its
democracy. We urge Georgia to pursue vigorously political and economic reforms,
continue to engage the opposition in constructive dialogue, and investigate
reports of mistreatment of opposition members.
We deeply regret, as we've stated
before, that the Russian Federation refused to accept the Greek Chairmanship's
proposal for a continued OSCE presence in Georgia earlier this summer. We
continue to hope Russia will reconsider its stance in the name of objective
monitoring and humanitarian access.
In closing, let me reiterate my
government's support for Georgia's sovereignty, independence, and territorial
integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.