Chairman of OSCE and CoE calls for peaceful solution in Georgia

THE HAGUE, 22 November 2003 - The Netherlands Foreign Minister, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, in his capacity as both Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, today appealed to the Georgian people to remain peaceful in their search for a solution to the current political crisis.

"I am hopeful that the current demonstrations will not change their peaceful character and I call on all parties in Georgia to show restraint and to refrain from violence in the current situation", said Minister de Hoop Scheffer.

The Chairman of the OSCE and the CoE's Committee of Ministers commended the restraint shown so far by demonstrators as well as by the police, expressing the hope that the declaration of the state of emergency would not lead to an outbreak of violence.

Minister de Hoop Scheffer also stressed that the way out of the current crisis was a matter to be decided solely by the Georgian people.

"If the various actors in Georgian parties can decide on an shared solution, and such a solution would necessitate new elections, I am prepared as Chairman of the OSCE and the Council of Europe to offer the active assistance of these organizations", said the Netherlands Foreign Minister.