OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL - STATEMENT ON GEORGIA FOR

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PP RUEHAST RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHC #7109 2542301
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 102258Z SEP 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 3541
INFO ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS STATE 097109 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: GG RU OSCE PREL
SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL - STATEMENT ON GEORGIA FOR 
SEPTEMBER 11 PC 
 
 Post is authorized to make the following statement at the 
September 11, 2008 meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in 
Vienna: 
 
Begin Text: 
 
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 
 
We sincerely appreciate French President Sarkozy's efforts to 
secure Russia's compliance with the six-point cease-fire 
agreement. We also commend the Chairman-in-Office for his 
ongoing and admirable efforts to resolve this conflict and to 
move forward "without delay" in deploying the additional 
military monitors, as called for in Permanent Council 
Decision No. 861. 
 
Mr. Chairman, the United States looks forward to Russia 
fulfilling its commitment to withdraw its peacekeepers from 
the five observation posts along the line between Poti and 
Senaki within the agreed timeframe ) within seven days of 
the September 8 agreement between President Sarkozy and 
President Medvedev. 
 
We also await Russia's withdrawal of its forces to their 
pre-conflict positions, as required by the Six Point 
Ceasefire Agreement. We are concerned by President 
Medvedev's Septmber 9th statement that Russia would base 
7,600 troops in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. We remind Russia 
that the Ceasefire Agreement obligates the withdrawal of all 
Russian troops to the positions they held before August 7. 
 
Once more, the United States calls on Russia to implement in 
its entirety the commitments made in the ceasefire agreement 
and its clarifying documents. In light of the 
recently-reported shooting of a Georgian police officer, we 
remind Russia that its forces are responsible for taking 
steps to maintaining order in the areas of Georgia that they 
occupy. We expect them to cooperate with the Georgian 
investigation of the incident and to ensure the safety and 
security of all persons in their vicinity. The ceasefire 
agreement must apply equally to Russia as it does to Georgia. 
 
We strongly demand that Russia not block the free flow of 
humanitarian assistance to all areas of Georgia. The Russian 
checkpoint at Karaleti continues to turn back shipments of 
humanitarian assistance and assessment teams that are trying 
to reach the villages south of Tskhinvali. This violates 
point 3 of the Ceasefire Document signed by President 
Medvedev. 
 
We welcome the European Union,s commitment to put 200 EU 
observers on the ground by October

UNCLAS STATE 097109

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: GG RU OSCE PREL
SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL - STATEMENT ON GEORGIA FOR
SEPTEMBER 11 PC

Post is authorized to make the following statement at the
September 11, 2008 meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in
Vienna:

Begin Text:

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

We sincerely appreciate French President Sarkozy's efforts to
secure Russia's compliance with the six-point cease-fire
agreement. We also commend the Chairman-in-Office for his
ongoing and admirable efforts to resolve this conflict and to
move forward "without delay" in deploying the additional
military monitors, as called for in Permanent Council
Decision No. 861.

Mr. Chairman, the United States looks forward to Russia
fulfilling its commitment to withdraw its peacekeepers from
the five observation posts along the line between Poti and
Senaki within the agreed timeframe ) within seven days of
the September 8 agreement between President Sarkozy and
President Medvedev.

We also await Russia's withdrawal of its forces to their
pre-conflict positions, as required by the Six Point
Ceasefire Agreement. We are concerned by President
Medvedev's Septmber 9th statement that Russia would base
7,600 troops in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. We remind Russia
that the Ceasefire Agreement obligates the withdrawal of all
Russian troops to the positions they held before August 7.

Once more, the United States calls on Russia to implement in
its entirety the commitments made in the ceasefire agreement
and its clarifying documents. In light of the
recently-reported shooting of a Georgian police officer, we
remind Russia that its forces are responsible for taking
steps to maintaining order in the areas of Georgia that they
occupy. We expect them to cooperate with the Georgian
investigation of the incident and to ensure the safety and
security of all persons in their vicinity. The ceasefire
agreement must apply equally to Russia as it does to Georgia.

We strongly demand that Russia not block the free flow of
humanitarian assistance to all areas of Georgia. The Russian
checkpoint at Karaleti continues to turn back shipments of
humanitarian assistance and assessment teams that are trying
to reach the villages south of Tskhinvali. This violates
point 3 of the Ceasefire Document signed by President
Medvedev.

We welcome the European Union,s commitment to put 200 EU
observers on the ground by October 1. The United States
believes these observers, together with the 100 additional
OSCE military monitoring officers called for in the Permanent
Council decision of August 19, will constitute the
international mechanism of the six-point cease-fire
agreement.

We urge the OSCE to quickly reach agreement on modalities for
the additional MMOs, so that the remaining 80 monitoring
officers can be deployed as soon as possible.

Mr. Chairman, the United States will continue to stand with
the people of Georgia and their democratically elected
government, to support Georgia,s sovereignty, independence,
and territorial integrity within its internationally
recognized borders.
RICE