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DE RUEHC #1177 0342356
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O R 032350Z FEB 10
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TO RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE IMMEDIATE 7305
INFO RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI 2344
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 7158

UNCLAS STATE 011177 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV OSCE GG PREL
SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: STATEMENT ON THE GENEVA 
DISCUSSIONS 
 
¶1. (U) Post is authorized to present the following statement 
at the February 4, 2010 Permanent Council meeting in Vienna. 
 
Begin text: 
 
Thank you, Mister Chairman, 
 
The United States was pleased to participate in the January 
28 round of the Geneva discussions on security and stability 
arrangements in Georgia. 
 
We welcome the co-chairs' efforts to identify interim steps 
that can both improve the security, humanitarian, and human 
rights situation on the ground and lay the groundwork for 
more far-reaching arrangements.  One such step, the Incident 
Prevention and Response Mechanisms (IPRM), provides an 
important forum for addressing issues of concern on a regular 
and pragmatic basis in the Abkhazia and South Ossetia 
regions.  Unfortunately, the operation of the IPRM for the 
South Ossetia region has been suspended for three months.  We 
call on all participants to agree to reconvene this important 
mechanism without delay. 
 
Although the conflict region has stabilized to a great 
extent, violent incidents persist, and civilians continue to 
face a precarious humanitarian and human rights situation. 
We continue to believe the OSCE and other international 
actors that an international presence throughout Georgia is 
critical to addressing these problems and urge the 
re-establishment of a robust OSCE presence there. 
 
As we work to improve the security and humanitarian situation 
in Georgia, we will continue to call for the parties to the 
conflict to comply with their obligations under international 
humanitarian law; to urge respect for the human rights of all 
individuals in the conflict areas; to call for free and 
unhindered access to the whole of Georgia; and to seek the 
safe, dignified, and voluntary return of internally displaced 
persons and refugees. 
 
We welcome the Georgian Government's adoption of a new 
strategy of engagement with the Abkhazia and South Ossetia 
regions -- a potentially constructive step towards easing 
tensions and a way to reach out to all the regions' 
residents. 
 
We also welcome the upcoming visit to Georgia of the 
Chairman-in-Office.  We hope Foreign Minister Saudabayev will 
be successful in furthering discussions of key issues, 
including water and gas supplies in the South Ossetia region, 
the re-establishment of an OSCE presence in Georgia, and a 
follow-up to the November 2008 joint ODIHR/HCNM report on 
human rights in the war-affected areas of Georgia.  We look 
forward to a report on the foreign minister's trip and to the 
Chairmanship's continued engagement on these issues. 
 
As Secretary Clinton stated last week, we have repeatedly 
called on the Russian Federation to honor the terms of its 
cease-fire agreement with Georgia.  Russia committed not only 
to withdraw its troops to positions held prior to the start 
of hostilities, but also to provide free access for 
humanitarian assistance to the South Ossetia and Abkhazia 
regions of Georgia.  We remind the Russian Federation that 
its characterization of these regions as independent does not 
relieve it of these commitments. 
 
In closing, Mr. Chairman, let me reiterate our firm 
commitment to Georgia's sovereignty, independence, and 
territorial integrity within its internationally recognized 
borders. 
 
Thank you. 
 
END TEXT 
CLINTON