39th IPRM meeting in Ergneti focuses on fencing activities, prisoners and missing persons

ERGNETI, 15 November 2013 - The 39th meeting under the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) took place in today, co-facilitated by Ambassador Andrii Deshchytsia, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for Conflicts and the Head of EU Monitoring Mission to Georgia Toivo Klaar.

The participants reviewed incidents and occurrences that have taken place since the previous IPRM meeting. The co-facilitators welcomed security actors’ restraint during the electoral period. Issues related to detained and missing persons were raised, with special attention to the health situation of prisoners.

Fencing activities in various locations alongside the Administrative Boundary Line and their impact on local communities’ freedom of movement and livelihood were discussed. The participants reaffirmed their commitment to fully utilize the potential of the IPRM format in order to identify practical solutions to problems on the ground.

The co-facilitators underscored the importance to resort to all means of communication, including the hotline and more direct channels, to promptly address the arising issues of local residents.

The participants agreed on the need for a more effective follow up to previous meetings in order to make the outcome of IPRM meetings more efficient.

The next meeting will take place on 9 December.

The Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms were established under the Geneva International Discussions, which are co-chaired by the OSCE, the EU and the UN.