OSCE expands Georgia border monitoring mission

Vienna, 13 April 2000 - The Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE, Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner, welcomes today's decision of the Permanent Council to strengthen the OSCE Border Monitoring Operation in Georgia.

The decision came in reponse to need for increased monitoring in the summer period, when a large number of passes will again be accessible. The decision will "strengthen the credibility as well as the security" of the border monitoring operation, and prolong its mandate until 15 November 2000.

The Permanent Council also decided to increase the size of its mission to up to 42 international personnel.

"This strengthening of the monitoring mission will enable the OSCE to cover a large part of the border," Ms. Ferrero-Waldner said. "The mission will serve to increase security and ensure objective information about the border situation is reported."

On 15 December, in response to a request by the Government of Georgia, the OSCE Permanent Council expanded the mandate of the OSCE Mission to Georgia to include observation of the border between the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation and Georgia. By providing detailed information on the traffic and events around the border, the OSCE seeks to diffuse possible tensions.

For more information on the OSCE in Georgia, please visit the following website: www.osce.org/georgia