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MEP Calls on EU Peacekeepers to be Sent to Georgia

Baroness Emma Nicholson MEP
4th September 2008

Baroness Nicholson MEP has today called for the EU to “set up a separate European-led peacekeeping mission to Georgia” following a four day visit to Georgia where she described Russia as having “lost any credibility” within the region.

During her four day visit, Baroness Nicholson MEP met with the Prime Minister of Georgia Mr. Lado Gurgenidze, Ministers from the Department for Health, Labour and Social Affairs, the Department for Foreign Affairs, the Department of Interior as well as the Parliamentary Speaker and the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee.  The Baroness also had two separate meetings with IDPs and volunteers helping refugees from the crisis.

Baroness Nicholson stated upon her return: “Russia has lost any credibility that it may have had as a peacekeeping force within the region.  The European Union must authorise a separate European-led peacekeeping mission to Georgia.  We have the military capacity and moral authority to do so, and we should not delay in this task.”

She continued: “It’s incomprehensible that Russia could act as an independent or neutral party, a key requirement in any peacekeeping role within the region.  While its continued belligerence in unilaterally recognising the independence of Georgia’s two breakaway regions while refusing to honour its ceasefire commitments takes the country even further away from demonstrating its ability to take on the task of protecting civilians and demonstrates that this force will only serve Russian interests.”

On the 3rd of September, the European Parliament passed a report on the crisis, which Baroness Nicholson MEP welcomed as a “good first step”.  Some of the highlights from the European Parliament report are that it:

• Condemns the unacceptable and disproportionate military action by Russia and its deep incursion into Georgia, which violates international law; underlines that there is no legitimate reason for Russia to invade Georgia, to occupy parts of it and to threaten to override the government of a democratic country;
• Deplores the loss of life and human suffering caused by the use of indiscriminate force by all parties engaged in the conflict;
• Reiterates its firm belief in the principle that no third country has a veto over the sovereign decision of another country to join any international organisation or alliance or the right to destabilise a democratically elected government;
• Strongly urges Russia to honour all its commitments under the ceasefire agreement reached and signed through the diplomatic efforts of the EU, beginning with the complete and immediate withdrawal of its troops from Georgia proper and the reduction of its military presence in South Ossetia and Abkhazia to the Russian force deployed as peacekeepers in the two provinces before the conflict erupted; condemns the extensive looting perpetrated by the Russian invasion forces and accompanying mercenaries;
• Urges Georgia, which ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the Russian authorities to lend support to and fully cooperate with the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC as regards its investigation into the tragic events and the attacks against civilians which took place during the conflict in order to determine responsibility and bring those responsible to justice;
• Strongly condemns the forced resettlement of Georgians from South Ossetia and Abkhazia and calls on the de facto South Ossetian and Abkhazian authorities to guarantee the safe return of the displaced civilian population, in line with international humanitarian law;
• Calls for a robust contribution by the EU to the planned international mechanism for the resolution of the conflict and therefore welcomes the decision of the European Council to deploy an ESDP (European Security and Defence Policy) monitoring mission to complement the UN and OSCE missions and to ask for a UN or OSCE mandate for an ESDP peace mission;

Speaking yesterday following the passage of the EU Parliament Report on the crisis, Baroness Nicholson stated:  “This report, passed overwhelmingly by the Parliament is a good first step.  It is critical that the EU and its member states act on its recommendations immediately.  Over 150,000 people have been uprooted from this conflict and many thousands have died.  I had the chance to meet with dozens of these refugees from the crisis during my visit to Georgia, and have learnt first hand of their anguish at the destruction of their homes and means of livelihood.”

She continued: “The people of Georgia are looking to Europe to provide them with aid, assistance and political support.  The consequences of falling short in our response will not just have ramifications to Georgia and its people but also may define Europe’s relationship with Russia for a generation”.

END

Editors’ Notes

• Baroness Nicholson MEP is a member of the European Parliament, and also the UK House of Lords.  She is a member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Subcommittee on Human Rights.
• Itinerary of Working visit of Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne MEP during the 29 August – 1 September 2008 to Georgia:

- Meeting with the Head of the European Commission’s Delegation, H.E. Mr. Per Goran Eklund.
- Meeting with the Minister of Education and Science Mr. Ghia Nodia and Deputy Minister Mrs Ana Zhvania
- Meeting with the IDP and Volunteers at School #71.
- Meeting with the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the United Kingdom in Georgia, H.E. Mr. Denis Keefe.
- Meeting with the Prime Minister of Georgia, Mr. Lado Gurgenidze.
- Working Dinner hosted by the Chairman of the Committee European Integration, Mr. David Darchiashvili.
- Meeting with the Minister of Health, Labor and Social Affairs, Mr. Alexander Kvitashvili.
- Meeting with IDP and Volunteers at School #60.
- Meeting with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Giorgi Bokeria.
- Meeting with the Community Action Coordinators and Volunteers.
- Dinner hosted by Minister of Education and Science, Mr. Ghia Nodia.
- Meeting with the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Lasha Zhavania.
- Meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Mr. David Bakradze.
- Meeting with the Deputy Minister of Interior Mrs. Eka Zguladze.
- Press Conference at Georgian Parliament chaired by Ambassador Lasha Zhvania, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.
- Dinner hosted by the Chairman of the Health and Social Affairs Committee, Mr. Otar Toidze in the presence of the First Lady, Mrs Mikheil Saakashvili.