OSCE Chairman welcomes Russian withdrawal as an important step
HELSINKI, 9 October 2008 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, said today he welcomed reports from the Organization's military monitoring officers in Georgia that Russian troops had withdrawn posts that they had set up near South Ossetia after the August conflict.
"Our military monitoring officers observed the withdrawal very carefully and professionally, and reported swiftly to all 56 participating States in the OSCE," Stubb said. "I welcome the Russian withdrawal of their posts along the southern boundary of the former Area of Responsibility of the Joint Peace Keeping Forces in keeping with the 10 October deadline set out in the Sarkozy-Medvedev agreements. However, the OSCE monitors report that the Russian troops have not withdrawn from the Akhalgori area."
The Chairman-in-Office said the OSCE's 28 military monitoring officers would continue to monitor the region.
"I expect the OSCE's original eight military monitoring officers to regain access to South Ossetia without further delay, and would welcome Russian support in this regard," Stubb said.
He said the broader political focus was on next week's Geneva talks on the situation in Georgia, and the OSCE intended to work closely there with the United Nations and the European Union to help bring security and stability to the war-affected areas including Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
"The start of the Geneva talks will be a much needed opportunity to lay the foundations of a lasting peace. As a priority we should address such concrete issues as prevention of incidents and the return of displaced persons." Stubb said.