SEPTEMBER 10, 2007
Statement on Georgia August 6 Missile Attack
Ambassador Finley, US Mission to OSCE
Permanent Council meeting, Vienna
September 6, 2007
Mr. Chairman,
The United States welcomes Dr. Miomir Zuzul to the
Permanent Council and appreciates his report on his recent
meetings regarding the missile incident of August 6. The
accusation of an armed attack by one participating State
against another is extremely serious. The issue has also
been discussed at the UN, and we remain prepared for
further discussion in the UN as well.
We were pleased that the Spanish OSCE Chair acted in a
timely fashion, dispatching Dr. Zuzul to Tbilisi and
Russia, and also that other countries accepted the
Georgian invitation to send experts to review available
information. We look forward to hearing further
recommendations based on the outcome of these meetings.
We have been impressed with the restraint and good
judgment the Georgians have shown thus far in responding
to this incident. We urge the parties concerned to pursue
diplomatic and political solutions only, and to eschew any
military action.
The United States reiterates its strong support for the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within
its internationally recognized borders.
Two investigations by 13 technical experts from seven
different countries have concluded that the evidence
supports the Georgian account of the event. The August 7
report by the Russian-led Joint Peacekeeping Force in
South Ossetia also supports the experts' conclusions. We
have seen no real evidence to support the theory that the
Georgians staged the August 6 incident.
Reliable data from multiple Georgian radars, eyewitness
accounts, and the type of ordnance involved - a Kh-58
anti-radar missile - all support the contention that at
least one aircraft violated Georgian airspace from the
direction of Russia and fired a missile on August 6. Moreover,
the facts confirmed by independent investigators do not support
Russian allegations that the attack was a Georgian provocation.
Mr. Chairman, our main purpose today is not to look back,
but to devise a way forward.
We must address the on-going problem of airspace
violations and aerial attacks on Georgia in a robust,
credible way. Otherwise, the next time, we might face the
prospect of civilian deaths or the shoot-down of an
aircraft, and we will have to contend with a much more
serious crisis.
We therefore would like to make two proposals.
First, we invite all OSCE states that still have questions
about the facts in this case to engage Georgia, and if
appropriate, send their own technical experts to the
region to examine the evidence as part of an
OSCE-organized third-party investigation.
Second, we recommend that the OSCE consider monitoring
options in Georgia that would permit credible third-party
verification in the event of future claims of violations
of Georgian airspace, or attacks on Georgian territory.
This incident illustrates clearly the need for additional
OSCE military monitors on the ground in South Ossetia.
Again, we appreciate the efforts of the Chairman in Office
on this issue, and thank Dr. Zuzul for his timely report.
Thank you.
 Printer Friendly Version
|
