OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: RESPONSE TO EU SPECIAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 054048

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL OSCE GG
SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: RESPONSE TO EU SPECIAL
REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE SOUTH CAUCASUS PETER SEMNEBY


1. Post is authorized to make the following statement at the
May 28, 2009, Permanent Council meeting in Vienna:

Begin text:

Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.

It is a pleasure to welcome you to today's meeting,
Ambassador Semneby. We appreciate your valuable work in the
South Caucasus, and thank you for your informative report
today.

Ambassador Semneby, the United States supports your continued
efforts to assist the countries of the South Caucasus in
furthering democratization, rule of law, respect for human
rights, and conflict resolution. We are hopeful that Armenia
and Azerbaijan can achieve a breakthrough on the Basic
Principles by the end of this year. This process, along with
Turkey-Armenia normalization, are separate efforts that are
moving forward in parallel but at different speeds. Each one
can reinforce the other and contribute to a general climate
of reconciliation in the South Caucasus.

The United States also appreciates your efforts to help end
the current stalemate in Georgia by urging the government and
the opposition to begin negotiations immediately and without
preconditions on a new program of reforms. We joined the
European Union earlier this week in calling on all Georgians
to respect the rule of law, abide by Georgia's Constitution,
avoid violence, and honor the right of peaceful protest. We
pledged our full support for all such efforts aimed at
strengthening Georgia's democratic freedom and prosperity,
and reiterated our unyielding support for Georgia's
independence and territorial integrity.

We hoped the May 18-19 Geneva discussions on security and
stability arrangements in the South Ossetian and Abkhaz
regions of Georgia would yield concrete results.
Regrettably, Russia followed the South Ossetian separatists
in walking out of the Geneva discussions on May 18, and the
Abkhaz boycotted the talks at the start. While the talks
resumed the next day, we hoped for more progress on resolving
the urgent problem of achieving free and unhindered
humanitarian access to the South Ossetian region, to which
Russia committed under the 12 August cease fire agreement and
UNSCR 1866. We also hope the representatives of South
Ossetia and Abkhazia will indeed implement the incident
prevention and response mechanisms agreed in February.

We hope the Russian delegation and the South Ossetian and
Abkhaz participants will demonstrate a more constructive
attitude when they meet in Geneva on July 1 for the next
round of discussions. In the meantime, we urge the
good-faith implementation of the incident prevention and
response mechanisms, and call on all parties to allow for
joint visits, together with international monitors, to the
sites of incidents. We also hope progress can be made on
pressing humanitarian questions, including unhindered
humanitarian access, as well as the safe, dignified, and
voluntary return of internally displaced persons. For these
reasons the United States also regrets that Russia made it
impossible to achieve consensus on the Greek chairmanship's
status-neutral proposal for the mandate of an OSCE presence
in Georgia, a proposal supported by the overwhelming majority
of OSCE participating States.

As you know, Ambassador Semneby, access to the South Ossetian
and Abkhaz regions of Georgia remains critical.
International monitors can help deter violence, ensure the
safety and protection of civilians, and promote human rights.
We repeat our call for Russia to honor the commitments it
made in the August 12 and September 8 cease fire agreements,
including withdrawal of its troops to the locations and
numbers that ensued before last August's war and to "free" or
"unhindered" humanitarian access to Abkhazia and South
Ossetia. Russia has a responsibility to ensure respect for
human rights is upheld and
international humanitarian law is observed in those areas of
Georgia it controls.

Ambassador Semneby, we all know how difficult these issues
can be -- but if we cannot effectively address and resolve
them, it is unlikely we will make any genuine headway on a
Europe that is more secure and at peace. Progress on these
issues would help restore trust and confidence and facilitate
any discussion of European security.


STATE 00054048 002 OF 002


Ambassador Semneby, thank you again for speaking to us today.
We wish you all the best in your work.

Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.
CLINTON