OSCE Chairman welcomes OSCE States' decision for up to 100 monitors to Georgia

BRUSSELS, 19 August 2008 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, issued the following statement on today's decision by the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna to increase the number of unarmed military monitoring officers to the Mission to Georgia by up to 100:

"I am pleased to announce that as a result of intensive diplomatic efforts by all parties concerned, the 56 participating States of the OSCE have today agreed at a special Permanent Council meeting to increase the number of military monitoring officers in the OSCE Mission to Georgia by up to 100.

"The decision foresees the immediate deployment of 20 military monitoring officers in the areas adjacent to South Ossetia. The rest of the additional military monitoring officers will be sent subject to a new decision of the Permanent Council on the modalities of their deployment, which will be proposed by the Chairmanship without delay.

"I have also asked the Head of the OSCE Mission to Georgia to redeploy to South Ossetia the existing eight monitors. Special attention should be paid to the situation in the Akhalgori region.

"I hope that today's decision by the OSCE will contribute to the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement and facilitate the prompt opening of humanitarian corridors to assist the civilian population and prepare for a return of refugees and internally displaced persons.

"I also hope that the OSCE military monitoring officers will very soon be ensured safe and free movement throughout Georgia.

"I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the Russian Federation and Georgia for the constructive approach and fruitful work of their respective delegations to the OSCE in Vienna."