OSCE JOINT FSC/PC MEETING: RESPONSE TO EUMM HEAD

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 012327

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM OSCE GG RU
SUBJECT: OSCE JOINT FSC/PC MEETING: RESPONSE TO EUMM HEAD
HABER


1. Post is authorized to make the following statement at the
February 11, 2009, joint FSC/PC meeting in Vienna:

Begin Text:

Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.

It is a pleasure to welcome you to today,s meeting,
Ambassador Haber and Ambassador Salber.

The United States fully supports the EU monitoring mission in
Georgia. These hardworking observers -- together with our
equally dedicated OSCE military monitoring officers -- have
played a key role in monitoring compliance with the August 12
and September 8 cease-fire agreements. The EU and the OSCE
have closely coordinated their efforts on the ground, and we
welcome their continued cooperation.

We also welcome the recent signing of a memorandum of
understanding between the EU monitoring mission and the
Georgian Ministry of Defense. The agreement is evidence of
Georgia,s commitment to reducing tensions in the region. We
commend the Georgian government for its openness and
transparency.

We remain convinced that the EU monitoring mission and the
OSCE observers should play a more direct role in monitoring
compliance with the August 12 and September 8 agreements.
through unfettered access to all of Georgia -- including the
South Ossetian and Abkhazian regions of Georgia. In this
respect, we would be interested to hear more about how, in
your respective views, the OSCE and EUMM Observers could make
an effective contribution to a possible Incident Monitoring
Mechanism that has been discussed at the Geneva talks on
Georgia. The frequent, serious security incidents along the
lines of contact, such as the kidnapping earlier this week of
a Georgian soccer referee in broad daylight on Georgia,s
main highway, clearly outside the administrative border of
the South Ossetian region, underscore the critical importance
of such a mechanism.

The United States is deeply concerned by the detention for
several hours of two OSCE monitors by South Ossetian militia
on February 10. Our understanding is that they, too, were
outside the administrative border of the South Ossetian
region. The monitors are an integral part of international
efforts to reduce tensions and promote conflict resolution.
The United States reiterates its call on Russia fully to
implement the terms of the cease fire August 8 and September
12 cease fire agreements and to facilitate the work of the
OSCE and EU monitors. Russian remains responsible for the
regions where its troops continue to be deployed, and it must
assume responsibility for the actions of South Ossetian
militia.

We note also that the OSCE monitors are military monitors,
while the EU relies on a civilian monitoring mission. In
that respect, we would be interested to hear from both
Ambassador Haber and Ambassador Salber on the advantages and
disadvantages of one approach over the other, or whether the
Ambassadors think both approaches can be equally effective if
the right type of recruitment takes place.

We remain convinced that now is the time for a more robust
international presence, to help deter violence and
humanitarian abuses and promote human rights, to ensure the
safety and protection of civilians, to encourage dialogue and
reconciliation, and to monitor the implementation of the
August 12 and September 8 agreements. We believe Russia is
not in compliance with its commitments under these
agreements, and continue to urge Russia to implement those
commitments fully, including the withdrawal of military
forces to their pre-conflict positions and numbers, as well
as to facilitate international monitors, access to the
Abkhaz and South Ossetian regions of Georgia. The United
States also regrets the Russian Federation,s expressed
intention to establish bases in the territory of Georgia as a
clear violation of Georgia,s sovereignty and territorial
integrity and contrary to Moscow,s cease fire commitments
under the Saakashvili-Medvedev agreements.

Madam Chairwoman, we are convinced that the EU and the OSCE
have a vital role to play in restoring stability and security
in the region, and trust that other delegations share this
view. The United States will continue to support Georgia,s
sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within
its internationally recognized borders, and will help in all

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ways to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.
CLINTON