OSCE Special Envoy says situation in Georgia still "fragile", additional OSCE monitors needed

VIENNA, 14 August 2008 - The situation in and around the South Ossetia conflict area remains "fragile" and up to 100 additional OSCE monitors are needed, the Special Envoy of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Ambassador Heikki Talvitie, told a special meeting of the Organization's Permanent Council in Vienna today.

Talvitie told the 56 delegations from the OSCE participating States that the Finnish OSCE Chairmanship welcomed the agreed ceasefire.

"All sides must abide by the ceasefire, and international monitoring of the ceasefire and of the humanitarian situation in and around the South Ossetia conflict area is urgently needed. In light of the situation the OSCE Chairman-in-Office is asking the participating States to increase the number of OSCE monitors by up to 100," he said.

"The Chairman-in-Office has expressed grave concern about the safety and welfare of civilians, and the proposed number of monitors would allow the OSCE to react to the situation as it unfolds. The OSCE must be in a position to swiftly respond to the crisis."

He said that the OSCE's presence on the ground could help establish and maintain a humanitarian corridor for international relief efforts, as well as monitor the ceasefire and disengagement of forces.

Ambassador Talvitie added that the Chairman-in-Office would continue to follow the situation carefully.

The OSCE Mission to Georgia has some 200 staff, including eight unarmed military monitoring officers. A decision to increase the number of monitors would require approval from all 56 participating States.

The Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, expects a decision on an increase of the number of military monitoring officers in the very near future.

The Permanent Council is an OSCE decision-making body that meets weekly in Vienna.