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P R 012303Z JUL 09
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INFO ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 068586 
 
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 
July 2, 2009, meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna: 
 
Begin text: 
 
Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. 
 
The United States commends OSCE, EU, and UN coordination of 
the July 1 Geneva discussions on security and stability 
arrangements in Georgia. 
 
In the immediate aftermath of these discussions, we again 
urge the good-faith implementation of the incident prevention 
and response mechanisms agreed in February.  We note with 
some encouragement the agreement by the Abkhaz delegation to 
a July 14 meeting of the mechanism in Gali.  We nevertheless 
were disappointed in the South Ossetian delegation,s 
decision not to participate in the meeting scheduled for June 
23 and that it continues to place conditions on 
implementation of the mechanism, and hope the delegation will 
put aside differences over procedural matters and engage 
constructively in discussions of pressing security concerns. 
 
We note the persistence of violent incidents along the 
administrative boundary lines, and once more urge all parties 
to allow for joint visits, together with international 
monitors, to the sites of these incidents.  Recent explosions 
-- one targeting an EU Monitoring Mission patrol and killing 
a Georgian ambulance driver, and a second damaging a 
high-voltage electricity line running between Georgia and 
Russia -- demonstrate the need for enhanced security 
measures, and underscore the critical importance of 
uninhibited access for international monitors to the whole of 
Georgia, including its South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions, to 
help prevent violence and promote respect for human rights. 
 
 
Madam Chairwoman, the United States remains convinced that 
the international community should jointly lead efforts to 
restore security and stability in Georgia.  We deeply regret 
Russia,s refusal to renew the mandates of the OSCE Mission 
to Georgia and the UN Observer Mission in Georgia, and hold 
Russia solely responsible for the forced closure of these 
valuable missions. 
 
We note that Russia recently submitted a proposal for the 
deployment of OSCE observers to the region.  We have 
carefully reviewed this proposal, but like the overwhelming 
majority of OSCE participating States, we have concluded that 
the proposal is yet another attempt by Russia to insert 
status issues into our discussions.  We had hoped our Russian 
partners would present new ideas and refrain from promoting a 
view of the region that no other participating State shares, 
but Russia,s position appears to remain unchanged.  The 
proposal offers no meaningful compromise, and is still far 
from neutral on the status of the South Ossetia and Abkhazia 
regions of Georgia.  We reiterate our support for the 
Chairmanship,s status-neutral proposal. 
 
The United States will continue to advocate an international 
presence throughout Georgia, including its Abkhazia and South 
Ossetia regions, and we will continue to call for free and 
unhindered humanitarian access to the separatist regions, as 
provided for in UNSCR 1866 last February and in the August 12 
cease-fire agreement.  We will also continue to urge respect 
for the human rights of all individuals in the conflict 
areas, and to call for the safe, dignified, and voluntary 
return of internally displaced persons and refugees. 
 
Madam Chairwoman, the United States is deeply concerned by 
the fact that Russia is moving even further away from 
honoring the provisions of the August 12 and September 8 
agreements, under which Russia committed not only to provide 
free and unhindered humanitarian access to the South Ossetia 
and Abkhazia regions of Georgia, but also to withdraw its 
troops to the positions and numbers prior to the start of 
hostilities.  Russia,s decision to characterize Abkhazia and 
South Ossetia as independent does not relieve Russia of these 
commitments.  We further remind Russia of its responsibility 
to ensure respect for human rights and international 
humanitarian law in those areas of Georgia under Russian 
occupation. 
 
The message from almost all OSCE foreign ministers at last 
weekend,s informal ministerial meeting in Corfu was quite 
clear: we need a strengthened international role on the 
ground in Georgia, rather than no role at all.  As we begin 
 
STATE 00068586  002 OF 002 
 
 
to follow up, we will look for progress on efforts to 
effectively address and resolve the issues that continue to 
undermine security in the OSCE region.  The United States 
remains committed to peaceful conflict resolution, and will 
continue to support Georgia,s sovereignty, independence, and 
territorial integrity within its internationally recognized 
borders. 
 
Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. 
CLINTON