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P R 271441Z MAY 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 0863
INFO ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 054048 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL OSCE GG
SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: RESPONSE TO EU SPECIAL 
REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE SOUTH CAUCASUS PETER SEMNEBY 
 
¶1. Post is authorized to make the following statement at the 
May 28, 2009, Permanent Council meeting in Vienna: 
 
Begin text: 
 
Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. 
 
It is a pleasure to welcome you to today's meeting, 
Ambassador Semneby.  We appreciate your valuable work in the 
South Caucasus, and thank you for your informative report 
today. 
 
Ambassador Semneby, the United States supports your continued 
efforts to assist the countries of the South Caucasus in 
furthering democratization, rule of law, respect for human 
rights, and conflict resolution.  We are hopeful that Armenia 
and Azerbaijan can achieve a breakthrough on the Basic 
Principles by the end of this year.  This process, along with 
Turkey-Armenia normalization, are separate efforts that are 
moving forward in parallel but at different speeds.  Each one 
can reinforce the other and contribute to a general climate 
of reconciliation in the South Caucasus. 
 
The United States also appreciates your efforts to help end 
the current stalemate in Georgia by urging the government and 
the opposition to begin negotiations immediately and without 
preconditions on a new program of reforms.  We joined the 
European Union earlier this week in calling on all Georgians 
to respect the rule of law, abide by Georgia's Constitution, 
avoid violence, and honor the right of peaceful protest.  We 
pledged our full support for all such efforts aimed at 
strengthening Georgia's democratic freedom and prosperity, 
and reiterated our unyielding support for Georgia's 
independence and territorial integrity. 
 
We hoped the May 18-19 Geneva discussions on security and 
stability arrangements in the South Ossetian and Abkhaz 
regions of Georgia would yield concrete results. 
Regrettably, Russia followed the South Ossetian separatists 
in walking out of the Geneva discussions on May 18, and the 
Abkhaz boycotted the talks at the start.  While the talks 
resumed the next day, we hoped for more progress on resolving 
the urgent problem of achieving free and unhindered 
humanitarian access to the South Ossetian region, to which 
Russia committed under the 12 August cease fire agreement and 
UNSCR 1866.  We also hope the representatives of South 
Ossetia and Abkhazia will indeed implement the incident 
prevention and response mechanisms agreed in February. 
 
We hope the Russian delegation and the South Ossetian and 
Abkhaz participants will demonstrate a more constructive 
attitude when they meet in Geneva on July 1 for the next 
round of discussions.  In the meantime, we urge the 
good-faith implementation of the incident prevention and 
response mechanisms, and call on all parties to allow for 
joint visits, together with international monitors, to the 
sites of incidents.  We also hope progress can be made on 
pressing humanitarian questions, including unhindered 
humanitarian access, as well as the safe, dignified, and 
voluntary return of internally displaced persons.  For these 
reasons the United States also regrets that Russia made it 
impossible to achieve consensus on the Greek chairmanship's 
status-neutral proposal for the mandate of an OSCE presence 
in Georgia, a proposal supported by the overwhelming majority 
of OSCE participating States. 
 
As you know, Ambassador Semneby, access to the South Ossetian 
and Abkhaz regions of Georgia remains critical. 
International monitors can help deter violence, ensure the 
safety and protection of civilians, and promote human rights. 
 We repeat our call for Russia to honor the commitments it 
made in the August 12 and September 8 cease fire agreements, 
including withdrawal of its troops to the locations and 
numbers that ensued before last August's war and to "free" or 
"unhindered" humanitarian access to Abkhazia and South 
Ossetia.  Russia has a responsibility to ensure respect for 
human rights is upheld and 
international humanitarian law is observed in those areas of 
Georgia it controls. 
 
Ambassador Semneby, we all know how difficult these issues 
can be -- but if we cannot effectively address and resolve 
them, it is unlikely we will make any genuine headway on a 
Europe that is more secure and at peace.  Progress on these 
issues would help restore trust and confidence and facilitate 
any discussion of European security. 
 
 
STATE 00054048  002 OF 002 
 
 
Ambassador Semneby, thank you again for speaking to us today. 
 We wish you all the best in your work. 
 
Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. 
CLINTON