OSCE Chairman urges Joint Control Commission to seek basis for dialogue in Georgian-Ossetian conflict

BRDO PRI KRANJU, Slovenia, 15 November 2005 - OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, today opened a meeting of the Joint Control Commission on the Georgian-Ossetian conflict, which the Slovenian OSCE Chairmanship is hosting, by urging the participants to pave the way for an early dialogue at the highest level.

Speaking to representatives of Georgia, Russia, North and South Ossetia, which make up the Joint Control Commission (JCC) along with OSCE representatives, Minister Rupel called on them to move along the path towards the peaceful resolution of the conflict, which involves Georgia and the region of South Ossetia.

"It is my belief that the most immediate task confronting us all is to demonstrate the will and ability to enforce the demilitarization commitments made by all sides. We need to agree on a solid action plan which should be fully and rapidly implemented", he said.

Brdo pri Kranju outside Ljubljana, the location of this meeting of the JCC, is same place that the representatives of Georgia and South Ossetia met informally in March this year.

This meeting comes after agreements reached at successive JCC meetings have been criticized for being ineffective: "It is an unfortunate fact", said Rupel, "that those agreements have largely failed to be implemented. Declarations of intent might be necessary but they are not sufficient. More has to be done in practice."

The Chairman-in-Office said the OSCE was ready to assist in any possible way and suggested that demilitarization could be linked with law enforcement co-operation: "This could genuinely contribute to stabilizing the situation in the zone of conflict and serve as a catalyst for increased confidence building among the population."

One indicator of willingness on both sides to move in this direction would be the early establishment of a joint police Special Co-ordination Centre in Tshkinvali, he added.

"I sincerely hope that the first operational meeting between the law enforcement bodies from both sides - hosted and organized by the OSCE's Mission to Georgia - demonstrates the potential to improve effective co-operation in this field."

The Chairman-in-Office said there was wide international support for the peaceful settlement of the conflict: "The process should not be static and, given the tools at our disposal, there is room and opportunity to move it forward in a positive and proactive way. The responsibility for that lies with you gathered around this table."