United States Mission to the OSCE

On the occasion of the appearance of Minister for Special Affairs of Georgia & in response to the report of Head of Mission in Georgia

Delivered by Deputy Representative Douglas Davidson
to the Permanent Council, Vienna

June 17, 2003

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I should like to join the distinguished ambassadors who have just spoken on behalf of the European Union and the GUAM countries in extending a special welcome to Minister Kakabadze and in thanking him for taking the time to address us once again here at the Permanent Council.

I should equally like to welcome Ambassador Lacombe to this, his last appearance at the Permanent Council, and to express our sincere thanks for the dedication and commitment he has shown in his more than four years leading the OSCE Mission in Georgia. It will be strange indeed to have someone else in charge in Tbilisi, but I am sure the staff Ambassador Lacombe leaves behind will continue the excellent performance we have come to expect.

As Minister Kakabadze and Ambassador Lacombe have addressed in large part the same issues, I shall for the sake of expediency offer but one response to their combined remarks.

Mr. Chairman, it is unfortunate that, despite earlier optimism, the political settlement talks on South Ossetia are not faring better. The United States supports fully the efforts of the OSCE Mission to continue the momentum of Castelo Branco. We urge all sides in the negotiations to redouble their efforts to reach a mutually acceptable solution within the Baden framework.

That said, the Mission does appear to be making headway with a number of practical initiatives aimed at reducing tensions and improving economic and social conditions within the South Ossetian zone of conflict. We endorse in particular the planned engagement in the region of the Strategic Police Matters Unit, which has much experience to share in building effective law enforcement organizations. Similarly, the concept of a JCC news bulletin holds definite promise for improving local awareness of JCC activities.

The continuing program of arms collection in South Ossetia is also an excellent example of cooperation between the OSCE and the Joint Peacekeeping Force (JPKF). The Russian battalion of the JPKF deserves praise for agreeing to host a new special storage facility for this program.

Turning to the conflict in Abkhazia, let me say that the United States, as a member of the "Group of Friends," supports and participates fully in the United Nations-led efforts to mediate a comprehensive political settlement of this particularly difficult conflict. Although the OSCE has a useful support role to play, it is the United Nations that must take the lead, through the Special Representative of the Secretary General, Ambassador Tagliavini, whose address we had the pleasure of hearing during Ambassador Lacombe's last appearance at the Permanent Council.

Let me reiterate our conviction that any comprehensive political settlement must follow the principles of the Boden Paper on "Basic Principles for the Distribution of Competencies between Tbilisi and Sukhumi," which has received the full endorsement of the United Nations Security Council.

The United States also shares the relief of our German, Georgian, and Danish colleagues that the UNOMIG hostages were released finally on June 10. Such unfortunate incidents do nothing to improve the overall political situation, and we call upon all parties involved to do everything in their power to prevent repeats of this occurrence.

Mr. Chairman, the expansion of the Border Monitoring Operation to include the border with the Dagestan Republic of the Russian Federation is now complete and the enhancements proposed by Ambassador Lacombe are nearly in place. We are pleased with the results of both efforts. Ambassador Lacombe, General Rietveld, and their staffs deserve our praise for accomplishing this on a very tight schedule, in the face of both internal administrative challenges and unexpected local complications.

In the Human Dimension, we are pleased that the Mission has made an early start in preparing for the upcoming parliamentary elections in Georgia. The United States considers these elections to be particularly important, as they will set the stage for the next presidential election, which will involve a transition of power. I am pleased to say that the United States Embassy in Tbilisi enjoys an excellent working relationship with the OSCE Mission and is fully engaged in these preparations. We urge the Georgian government to work closely with the Mission and with ODIHR, to make every effort to ensure that these elections are conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner in full compliance with OSCE commitments and international principles.

Mr. Chairman, I believe that we have already made quite clear on many occasions, in this Council and elsewhere, our concerns over the treatment of religious minorities, including Jehovah's witnesses, in Georgia, as well as in other participating States. We appreciate the engagement of the OSCE Mission in monitoring the case of Basili Mkalavishvili and the strong personal stance taken by President Shevardnadze himself.

Nonetheless, problems remain over the administration of justice in this case, and we call upon the Georgian authorities to correct the deficiencies and put an end to the violent campaign of these ultra-Orthodox extremists.

In closing, Mr. Chairman, I should like once again to thank Ambassador Lacombe for his excellent work over the years and to wish him well in his future endeavors. I hope that he will also pass on to the staff of the core mission and the Border Monitoring Operation our sincere appreciation for their equally excellent performance.

Our best wishes go as well to Minister Kakabadze, who has the truly challenging task of dealing with these very difficult internal conflicts, while at the same time representing his government in international fora such as the OSCE. We wish him every success in this daunting endeavor.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.