OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: STATEMENT ON GENEVA

UNCLAS STATE 099068

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
September 24, 2009, meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in
Vienna:

Begin text:

Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.

The United States commends the coordination by the OSCE, EU,
and UN of the September 17 Geneva discussions on security and
stability arrangements in Georgia. We appreciate relatively
constructive exchange of views among participants, and
encourage all parties to work together in a cooperative and
practical spirit to make concrete progress on issues of
concern. Toward that end, we hope the joint incident
prevention and response mechanisms will continue to meet
regularly. We urge all parties to participate actively and
pragmatically, and to make full use of hotlines and other
means of preventing and responding to incidents. We also
urge all parties to prepare diligently for the November 11
round of Geneva discussions, and to concentrate on achieving
concrete results.

Though there was some recognizing progress, Madam Chairwoman,
we all know very well that problems remain. Incidents along
the administrative boundary lines continue to undermine
security in Georgia, and civilians in the separatist regions
of Abkhazia and South Ossetia continue to suffer. In dealing
with these issues, we will continue to advocate a role for
the international community, and to call for an international
presence in the separatist regions. We will also continue to
urge respect for the human rights of all individuals in the
conflict areas; to call for free and unhindered humanitarian
access to the separatist regions; and to call for the safe,
dignified, and voluntary return of internally displaced
persons and refugees.

Russia,s ongoing failure to implement fully the provisions
of the August 12 and September 8 agreements remains a matter
of grave concern. Russia committed not only to withdraw its
troops to positions held prior to the start of hostilities,
but also to provide free and unhindered humanitarian access
to the South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions of Georgia. We
remind Russia that its characterization of these regions as
independent does not relieve it of its commitments.

In closing, Madam Chairwoman, let me reiterate my
government,s support for the discussion process in Geneva.
Let me also reiterate our continuing support for Georgia,s
sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within
its internationally recognized borders.

Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.
CLINTON