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OSCE Chairman welcomes end to state of emergency in Georgia
MADRID 16 November 2007
MADRID, 16 November 2007 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, welcomed today the decision by Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili to lift the state of emergency.
"Lifting the state of emergency, together with the restoration and full respect of freedom of the media and freedom of assembly, is vital for democracy," Minister Moratinos said. "We encourage the Georgian government to consolidate democracy in the country and restore the broadcast license of all media outlets, as well as to continue its dialogue with the opposition in order to guarantee that the elections are held according to democratic standards."
During the state of emergency, which was declared on 7 November in Tbilisi and then expanded to the whole of the country, all Georgian TV and radio news broadcasting was suspended, except for the national public broadcaster.
Minister Moratinos added that the OSCE stands ready to assist Georgia in the preparation and observation of the forthcoming elections and welcomes the announcement made by the Georgian authorities to invite OSCE-ODIHR to observe the elections.
"Lifting the state of emergency, together with the restoration and full respect of freedom of the media and freedom of assembly, is vital for democracy," Minister Moratinos said. "We encourage the Georgian government to consolidate democracy in the country and restore the broadcast license of all media outlets, as well as to continue its dialogue with the opposition in order to guarantee that the elections are held according to democratic standards."
During the state of emergency, which was declared on 7 November in Tbilisi and then expanded to the whole of the country, all Georgian TV and radio news broadcasting was suspended, except for the national public broadcaster.
Minister Moratinos added that the OSCE stands ready to assist Georgia in the preparation and observation of the forthcoming elections and welcomes the announcement made by the Georgian authorities to invite OSCE-ODIHR to observe the elections.