Co-Chairs firmly committed to Geneva Discussions to build stability

VIENNA, 17 June 2009 - The Co-Chairs of the Geneva Discussions - representing the UN, OSCE and EU - made clear today that all three organizations remained both firmly committed to and involved in those discussions.

The Co-Chairs are Ambassador Charalampos Christopoulos, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Johan Verbeke of the UN and Ambassador Pierre Morel of the EU.

They issued a joint statement after briefing OSCE delegations at a joint session of two Vienna-based OSCE decision-making bodies, the Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) and the Permanent Council (PC), which met to discuss recent developments. The FSC-PC meeting was convened at the request of the Georgian Chairmanship of the FSC and the Greek Chairmanship of the PC. The Co-Chairs' statement said:

"The value of the Geneva Discussions lies in the fact that it is the only forum where all the parties to the conflict meet and discuss important matters of common concern. The Geneva Discussions also provide a unique platform for three major international organizations - the UN, OSCE and EU - to work in close co-operation for security and stability in the South Caucasus.

"We are firmly committed to the Discussions and to the implementation of agreements reached therein, and look forward to the sixth round of the Discussions on 1 July. We draw from the substantial debate of today the recognition that, in the present context, the pursuit of the Geneva Discussions is more necessary than ever."