VZCZCXRO7852
PP RUEHAST RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR
DE RUEHC #2327/01 0420006
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 102351Z FEB 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 7610
INFO ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 012327 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM OSCE GG RU
SUBJECT: OSCE JOINT FSC/PC MEETING: RESPONSE TO EUMM HEAD 
HABER 
 
¶1.  Post is authorized to make the following statement at the 
February 11, 2009, joint FSC/PC meeting in Vienna: 
 
Begin Text: 
 
Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. 
 
It is a pleasure to welcome you to today,s meeting, 
Ambassador Haber and Ambassador Salber. 
 
The United States fully supports the EU monitoring mission in 
Georgia.  These hardworking observers -- together with our 
equally dedicated OSCE military monitoring officers -- have 
played a key role in monitoring compliance with the August 12 
and September 8 cease-fire agreements.  The EU and the OSCE 
have closely coordinated their efforts on the ground, and we 
welcome their continued cooperation. 
 
We also welcome the recent signing of a memorandum of 
understanding between the EU monitoring mission and the 
Georgian Ministry of Defense.  The agreement is evidence of 
Georgia,s commitment to reducing tensions in the region. We 
commend the Georgian government for its openness and 
transparency. 
 
We remain convinced that the EU monitoring mission and the 
OSCE observers should play a more direct role in monitoring 
compliance with the August 12 and September 8 agreements. 
through unfettered access to all of Georgia -- including the 
South Ossetian and Abkhazian regions of Georgia.  In this 
respect, we would be interested to hear more about how, in 
your respective views, the OSCE and EUMM Observers could make 
an effective contribution to a possible Incident Monitoring 
Mechanism that has been discussed at the Geneva talks on 
Georgia.  The frequent, serious security incidents along the 
lines of contact, such as the kidnapping earlier this week of 
a Georgian soccer referee in broad daylight on Georgia,s 
main highway, clearly outside the administrative border of 
the South Ossetian region, underscore the critical importance 
of such a mechanism. 
 
The United States is deeply concerned by the detention for 
several hours of two OSCE monitors by South Ossetian militia 
on February 10.  Our understanding is that they, too, were 
outside the administrative border of the South Ossetian 
region.  The monitors are an integral part of international 
efforts to reduce tensions and promote conflict resolution. 
The United States reiterates its call on Russia fully to 
implement the terms of the cease fire August 8 and September 
12 cease fire agreements and to facilitate the work of the 
OSCE and EU monitors.  Russian remains responsible for the 
regions where its troops continue to be deployed, and it must 
assume responsibility for the actions of South Ossetian 
militia. 
 
We note also that the OSCE monitors are military monitors, 
while the EU relies on a civilian monitoring mission.  In 
that respect, we would be interested to hear from both 
Ambassador Haber and Ambassador Salber on the advantages and 
disadvantages of one approach over the other, or whether the 
Ambassadors think both approaches can be equally effective if 
the right type of recruitment takes place. 
 
We remain convinced that now is the time for a more robust 
international presence, to help deter violence and 
humanitarian abuses and promote human rights, to ensure the 
safety and protection of civilians, to encourage dialogue and 
reconciliation, and to monitor the implementation of the 
August 12 and September 8 agreements.  We believe Russia is 
not in compliance with its commitments under these 
agreements, and continue to urge Russia to implement those 
commitments fully, including the withdrawal of military 
forces to their pre-conflict positions and numbers, as well 
as to facilitate international monitors, access to the 
Abkhaz and South Ossetian regions of Georgia.  The United 
States also regrets the Russian Federation,s expressed 
intention to establish bases in the territory of Georgia as a 
clear violation of Georgia,s sovereignty and territorial 
integrity and contrary to Moscow,s cease fire commitments 
under the Saakashvili-Medvedev agreements. 
 
Madam Chairwoman, we are convinced that the EU and the OSCE 
have a vital role to play in restoring stability and security 
in the region, and trust that other delegations share this 
view.  The United States will continue to support Georgia,s 
sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within 
its internationally recognized borders, and will help in all 
 
STATE 00012327  002 OF 002 
 
 
ways to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict. 
 
Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. 
CLINTON