40th meeting of IPRM in Ergneti addresses local communities' concerns

ERGNETI, 9 December 2013 – Today, the 40th meeting under the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) took place in Ergneti, co-facilitated by Head of EU Monitoring Mission Toivo Klaar and Ambassador Andrii Deshchytsia, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for Conflicts. Ambassador Angelo Gnaedinger, the Special Representative of the incoming Swiss OSCE Chairmanship, also attended the meeting, which took place in a constructive atmosphere.

Participants discussed the impact of the installation of fences in the villages of Ghogheti and Bersheuti on local communities’ freedom of movement and livelihood. They also addressed the issue of local inhabitants’ access to the cemetery and the church in Didi Khurvaleti.

In this harsh winter period, the co-facilitators prompted all sides to adopt a constructive approach in duly informing each other about planned activities and finding practical solutions to issues affecting local communities.

The co-facilitators called on participants to show flexibility towards those accidentally crossing the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) when visiting relatives or religious sites in the upcoming holiday period.

Following the IPRM, EUMM and OSCE co-facilitated a meeting with representatives of the office of the General Prosecutor of Georgia, as well as relatives and witnesses, in order to make a further step in relation to the case of three missing South Ossetian youngsters.

The next IPRM meeting will take place on 21 January 2014.

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.