Georgia’s Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze addresses OSCE Permanent Council, re-affirms commitments

VIENNA, 3 June 2016 – In his address to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna yesterday, Georgia’s Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze reiterated his country’s firm commitment to OSCE’s confidence-building measures in the face of security challenges in Europe and its efforts to tackle transnational threats.

“As we are witnessing one of the worst security crises on our continent, the role that the OSCE has to play in addressing it is ever more important. We need a strong and resolute OSCE, which fosters a comprehensive, indivisible and co-operative approach to security, as envisaged by numerous milestone documents we all have subscribed to,” Janelidze said.

Janelidze emphasized the importance of the Vienna Document in relation to conventional arms control and expressed Georgia’s full support for this important confidence and security building mechanism. “Georgia is ready to constructively engage in the negotiation process on updating the Vienna Document in 2016, with the aim of increasing military stability, transparency and predictability for all participating States.”

Highlighting the OSCE’s contribution to addressing transnational threats, Janelidze said: “We should use all means provided by this institution to tackle threats arising from violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism, cybercrime, human trafficking and other forms of organised crime.”

Georgia’s Foreign Minister expressed appreciation for the role which the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, along with other international institutions, had played in improving the election system in Georgia.

“2016 is a year of parliamentary elections in Georgia. We are determined to hold transparent, free and fair parliamentary elections in full compliance with international standards and best democratic practices,” Janeldize said.

In his address, Minister Janelidze spoke about Georgia’s domestic reform agenda and its strong commitment to the European and Euro-Atlantic integration process.

The Foreign Minister also called for a stronger role of the OSCE in addressing the situation of conflict-affected populations in Georgia, including through the restoration of a full-fledged and comprehensive OSCE presence, the continuation of the Organization’s active participation in the Geneva International Discussions and the expansion of confidence-building activities. In expressing concern over the recent tragic shooting of Giga Otkhozoria on May 19 in the village of Khurcha, Minister Janelidze emphasized the need for international monitoring of the security and human rights situation in the territories controlled by Sukhumi and Tskhinvali.