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Local EU Statement on the Secretary General’s 18th consolidated report on the conflict in Georgia

14.11.2018
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The EU welcomes the Secretary General’s eighteenth consolidated report on the conflict in Georgia. The EU considers important to keep this issue high on the political agenda of the CoE and encourages the Secretary General to continue the submission of such reports covering, inter alia, the question of human rights protection in the areas affected by the conflict in Georgia.

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1. The European Union Delegation to the Council of Europe issues the following statement in agreement with the EU Heads of Mission to the Council of Europe.

2. The EU welcomes the Secretary General’s eighteenth consolidated report on the conflict in Georgia. The EU considers important to keep this issue high on the political agenda of the CoE and encourages the Secretary General to continue the submission of such reports covering, inter alia, the question of human rights protection in the areas affected by the conflict in Georgia.

3. The EU reaffirms its firm support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders.

4. The EU expresses its deep concern about the state of play in the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and for the continuous deterioration of the human rights situation in these regions. The EU remains highly committed to support peace building and conflict resolution in Georgia, including through its co-chairmanship of the Geneva International Discussions and the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) on the ground.

5. The EU remains particularly concerned about: (i) obstacles to the freedom of movement, (ii) arbitrary detentions, (iii) a continued discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity, (iv) a deepening of the documentation gap for ethnic Georgians in the Gali district of Abkhazia, (v) restrictions on access to education in one’s native language in both entities, and (vi) a violation of property rights.

6. The EU is deeply concerned over the ongoing erection of new illegal barbed wire fences along the South Ossetian Administrative Boundary Line aimed at fortifying the line and further isolating the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia from the rest of Georgia.

7. The EU reiterates its calls for a proper investigation into the tragic death of Archil Tatunashvili in February 2018 and for justice to be applied following the killing of Giga Otkhozoria in May 2016. Impunity is a matter of deep concern.

8.The EU takes note that on 21 March 2018, the Parliament of Georgia adopted the Resolution on “Otkhozaria-Tatunashivili Act” and on 26 June, 2018 Georgia’s Government adopted a decision to impose national restrictive measures against those responsible for violations of the right to life of  Archil Tatunashvili and Giga Otkhozoria.

9. The EU is deeply concerned by the current suspension of meetings of the de facto authorities to participate in the meetings of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms (IPRMs). The EU strongly supports the calls by the Co-Chairs of the Geneva International Discussions to respect the established practice on the agenda of the IPRMs and to resume the regular meetings without delay.

10. The EU strongly supports all ongoing and planned confidence-building activities of the CoE, which are complementary to the efforts of the Co-Chairs of the Geneva International Discussions and which present unique opportunities to bring together civil society members of all parties involved. The EU will continue to support a wide range of humanitarian and human rights protection, development and other co-operation actions in the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, in partnership also with international and local NGOs.

11. The EU reiterates its concern about the continuing Russian illegal military presence, increased military exercises and infrastructure reinforcements in the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The EU condemns the implementation of the so-called treaties and deriving agreements, such as the one incorporating military formations of South Ossetia region into armed forces of the Russian Federation.

12. The EU calls on the Russian Federation to fully implement the agreement of 12 August 2008 and the Implementing Measures of 8 September 2008, and to provide the EU Monitoring Mission with access to the regions.

13. The EU regrets that the delegation of the Secretariat, the monitoring bodies and the CoE Human Rights Commissioner have not been granted access to the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and calls on the authorities exercising effective control to facilitate access to these regions for the relevant bodies of the CoE.

 

https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/council-europe/53811/local-eu-statement-secretary-general%E2%80%99s-18th-consolidated-report-conflict-georgia_en

 

Category
Local Statements
Location

Bruxelles

Editorial sections
Georgia