Georgian Foreign Minister calls on OSCE States to support Peace Plan process

VIENNA, 9 February 2006 - Georgian Foreign Minister, Gela Bezhuashvili, today called on the Organization's members to help it to implement the Peace Plan, recognized at the last OSCE Ministerial Council in Ljubljana, as a basis for the solution of its conflict in South Ossetia.

Addressing the OSCE Permanent Council, the Minister said the response of its Ossetian partners, after Ljubljana, had given it "serious and sincere hope" that a breakthrough in the process was near. Since then, however, there had been mixed signals.

"Georgia is not in favour of process for the sake of process itself. We want results. Georgia will appreciate the support of all 55 OSCE participating States in the next difficult weeks as we work to stabilize the situation and promote the peaceful resolution of our conflicts", he said.

He told the Council that Georgia welcomed the initiative of the Belgian Chairman-in-Office to hold the next meeting of the Joint Control Commission (JCC- which brings together Georgia, Russia, South and North Ossetia) as soon as possible in Vienna.

"To achieve real progress on the aim of reaching consensus on the outstanding issues, it is important for this JCC meeting to be held on a high level and to be open to participation by the OSCE, the European Union and the USA as observers. We sincerely hope to come to an agreement in Vienna," Minister Bezhuashvili added.

Commenting on another proposal to hold a meeting of the Economic Steering Committee* in Vienna, as soon as possible after the JCC meeting, he said that such an event in Vienna would serve as a good basis for a donors' conference in Brussels.

"We are determined to justify the confidence of our European, American and other friends who have indicated their readiness to financially contribute to the implementation of the Peace Plan," he added.

The Minster said he remained optimistic that peace would prevail and this was the best guarantee for the prosperity of all the citizens of Georgia, which he also believed served the best interests of Russia and the whole OSCE community as well.

*The steering committee on economic rehabilitation is chaired by the OSCE Mission to Georgia and comprises representatives of the sides in the conflict, the EC, the United Nations Development Programme and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.