OSCE Chairman concerned helicopter incident in Georgia contradicts commitments

BRUSSELS, 4 September 2006 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht, expressed concern today about an incident on Sunday in which a Georgian helicopter carrying the country's Minister of Defence was fired upon from the South Ossetian side as it flew over the area of responsibility of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces.

"I am relieved there were no casualties as a result of yesterday's serious incident," said Minister De Gucht, urging the two sides to intensify dialogue.

"Firing at aircraft over the area of operations of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces, and flying, especially low-level flights, over that space, contradict the commitments of the sides to achieve a peaceful settlement."

He said despite agreements between the sides to avoid overflights of the zone of conflict, there was no internationally agreed "no-fly zone" over the region, which is part of Georgian airspace.

"Firing against aircraft can therefore only be regarded as a criminal act," the Chairman-in-Office said. "Clearly such an incident demonstrates once again how fragile the situation is, and how urgent it is for the sides to show restraint and to take responsibility to intensify result-oriented dialogue."