Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STATE68586
2009-07-01 23:03:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Secretary of State
Cable title:
OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: STATEMENT ON GENEVA
how-toVZCZCXRO4330 PP RUEHAST RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHC #8586/01 1822326 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P R 012303Z JUL 09 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 1800 INFO ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 068586
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OSCE PREL PGOV GG
SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: STATEMENT ON GENEVA
DISCUSSIONS
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 068586
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OSCE PREL PGOV GG
SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: STATEMENT ON GENEVA
DISCUSSIONS
1. Post is authorized to make the following statement at the
July 2, 2009, meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna:
Begin text:
Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.
The United States commends OSCE, EU, and UN coordination of
the July 1 Geneva discussions on security and stability
arrangements in Georgia.
In the immediate aftermath of these discussions, we again
urge the good-faith implementation of the incident prevention
and response mechanisms agreed in February. We note with
some encouragement the agreement by the Abkhaz delegation to
a July 14 meeting of the mechanism in Gali. We nevertheless
were disappointed in the South Ossetian delegation,s
decision not to participate in the meeting scheduled for June
23 and that it continues to place conditions on
implementation of the mechanism, and hope the delegation will
put aside differences over procedural matters and engage
constructively in discussions of pressing security concerns.
We note the persistence of violent incidents along the
administrative boundary lines, and once more urge all parties
to allow for joint visits, together with international
monitors, to the sites of these incidents. Recent explosions
-- one targeting an EU Monitoring Mission patrol and killing
a Georgian ambulance driver, and a second damaging a
high-voltage electricity line running between Georgia and
Russia -- demonstrate the need for enhanced security
measures, and underscore the critical importance of
uninhibited access for international monitors to the whole of
Georgia, including its South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions, to
help prevent violence and promote respect for human rights.
Madam Chairwoman, the United States remains convinced that
the international community should jointly lead efforts to
restore security and stability in Georgia. We deeply regret
Russia,s refusal to renew the mandates of the OSCE Mission
to Georgia and the UN Observer Mission in Georgia, and hold
Russia solely responsible for the forced closure of these
valuable missions.
We note that Russia recently submitted a proposal for the
deployment of OSCE observers to the region. We have
carefully reviewed this proposal, but like the overwhelming
majority of OSCE participating States, we have concluded that
the proposal is yet another attempt by Russia to insert
status issues into our discussions. We had hoped our Russian
partners would present new ideas and refrain from promoting a
view of the region that no other participating State shares,
but Russia,s position appears to remain unchanged. The
proposal offers no meaningful compromise, and is still far
from neutral on the status of the South Ossetia and Abkhazia
regions of Georgia. We reiterate our support for the
Chairmanship,s status-neutral proposal.
The United States will continue to advocate an international
presence throughout Georgia, including its Abkhazia and South
Ossetia regions, and we will continue to call for free and
unhindered humanitarian access to the separatist regions, as
provided for in UNSCR 1866 last February and in the August 12
cease-fire agreement. We will also continue to urge respect
for the human rights of all individuals in the conflict
areas, and to call for the safe, dignified, and voluntary
return of internally displaced persons and refugees.
Madam Chairwoman, the United States is deeply concerned by
the fact that Russia is moving even further away from
honoring the provisions of the August 12 and September 8
agreements, under which Russia committed not only to provide
free and unhindered humanitarian access to the South Ossetia
and Abkhazia regions of Georgia, but also to withdraw its
troops to the positions and numbers prior to the start of
hostilities. Russia,s decision to characterize Abkhazia and
South Ossetia as independent does not relieve Russia of these
commitments. We further remind Russia of its responsibility
to ensure respect for human rights and international
humanitarian law in those areas of Georgia under Russian
occupation.
The message from almost all OSCE foreign ministers at last
weekend,s informal ministerial meeting in Corfu was quite
clear: we need a strengthened international role on the
ground in Georgia, rather than no role at all. As we begin
STATE 00068586 002 OF 002
to follow up, we will look for progress on efforts to
effectively address and resolve the issues that continue to
undermine security in the OSCE region. The United States
remains committed to peaceful conflict resolution, and will
continue to support Georgia,s sovereignty, independence, and
territorial integrity within its internationally recognized
borders.
Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.
CLINTON
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OSCE PREL PGOV GG
SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: STATEMENT ON GENEVA
DISCUSSIONS
1. Post is authorized to make the following statement at the
July 2, 2009, meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna:
Begin text:
Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.
The United States commends OSCE, EU, and UN coordination of
the July 1 Geneva discussions on security and stability
arrangements in Georgia.
In the immediate aftermath of these discussions, we again
urge the good-faith implementation of the incident prevention
and response mechanisms agreed in February. We note with
some encouragement the agreement by the Abkhaz delegation to
a July 14 meeting of the mechanism in Gali. We nevertheless
were disappointed in the South Ossetian delegation,s
decision not to participate in the meeting scheduled for June
23 and that it continues to place conditions on
implementation of the mechanism, and hope the delegation will
put aside differences over procedural matters and engage
constructively in discussions of pressing security concerns.
We note the persistence of violent incidents along the
administrative boundary lines, and once more urge all parties
to allow for joint visits, together with international
monitors, to the sites of these incidents. Recent explosions
-- one targeting an EU Monitoring Mission patrol and killing
a Georgian ambulance driver, and a second damaging a
high-voltage electricity line running between Georgia and
Russia -- demonstrate the need for enhanced security
measures, and underscore the critical importance of
uninhibited access for international monitors to the whole of
Georgia, including its South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions, to
help prevent violence and promote respect for human rights.
Madam Chairwoman, the United States remains convinced that
the international community should jointly lead efforts to
restore security and stability in Georgia. We deeply regret
Russia,s refusal to renew the mandates of the OSCE Mission
to Georgia and the UN Observer Mission in Georgia, and hold
Russia solely responsible for the forced closure of these
valuable missions.
We note that Russia recently submitted a proposal for the
deployment of OSCE observers to the region. We have
carefully reviewed this proposal, but like the overwhelming
majority of OSCE participating States, we have concluded that
the proposal is yet another attempt by Russia to insert
status issues into our discussions. We had hoped our Russian
partners would present new ideas and refrain from promoting a
view of the region that no other participating State shares,
but Russia,s position appears to remain unchanged. The
proposal offers no meaningful compromise, and is still far
from neutral on the status of the South Ossetia and Abkhazia
regions of Georgia. We reiterate our support for the
Chairmanship,s status-neutral proposal.
The United States will continue to advocate an international
presence throughout Georgia, including its Abkhazia and South
Ossetia regions, and we will continue to call for free and
unhindered humanitarian access to the separatist regions, as
provided for in UNSCR 1866 last February and in the August 12
cease-fire agreement. We will also continue to urge respect
for the human rights of all individuals in the conflict
areas, and to call for the safe, dignified, and voluntary
return of internally displaced persons and refugees.
Madam Chairwoman, the United States is deeply concerned by
the fact that Russia is moving even further away from
honoring the provisions of the August 12 and September 8
agreements, under which Russia committed not only to provide
free and unhindered humanitarian access to the South Ossetia
and Abkhazia regions of Georgia, but also to withdraw its
troops to the positions and numbers prior to the start of
hostilities. Russia,s decision to characterize Abkhazia and
South Ossetia as independent does not relieve Russia of these
commitments. We further remind Russia of its responsibility
to ensure respect for human rights and international
humanitarian law in those areas of Georgia under Russian
occupation.
The message from almost all OSCE foreign ministers at last
weekend,s informal ministerial meeting in Corfu was quite
clear: we need a strengthened international role on the
ground in Georgia, rather than no role at all. As we begin
STATE 00068586 002 OF 002
to follow up, we will look for progress on efforts to
effectively address and resolve the issues that continue to
undermine security in the OSCE region. The United States
remains committed to peaceful conflict resolution, and will
continue to support Georgia,s sovereignty, independence, and
territorial integrity within its internationally recognized
borders.
Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.
CLINTON