MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
1.9.2008
pursuant to Rule 103(2) of the Rules of Procedure
by Jan Marinus Wiersma, Hannes Swoboda, CityplaceAdrian Severin, Kristian Vigenin and Marek Siwiec
on behalf of the PSE Group
on the situation in Georgia
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B6-0402/2008
B6‑0410/2008
European Parliament resolution on the situation in Georgia
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on placeplaceGeorgia and, in particular, those of 26 October 2006, 29 November 2007 and 5 June 2008,
– having regard to its resolution of 15 November 2007 on strengthening the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), and its resolutions of 17 January 2008 on a more effective EU policy for the South Caucasus, and on a Black Sea Regional Policy Approach,
– having regard to the European Neighbourhood Policy's Action Plan adopted with Georgia, which includes a commitment to cooperation for the settlement of Georgia's internal conflicts,
– having regard to Council Joint Action 2008/450/CFSP of 16 June 2008 regarding a further contribution of the European Union to the conflict settlement process in Georgia/South Ossetia[1], and other previous Council joint actions on the same subject,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on EU-Russia relations, particularly that of 19 June 2008 on the EU-Russia Summit,
– having regard to the conclusions of the General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting of 13 August 2008 on the situation in Georgia,
– having regard to UN Security Council Resolutions 1781 (2007) and 1808 (2008), which support the territorial integrity of placeplaceGeorgia and extend the mandate of the EU Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) until 15 October 2008,
– having regard to OSCE Permanent Council Decision No 861 on increasing the number of military officers in the OSCE mission to placeplaceGeorgia,
– having regard to the NATO Bucharest Summit Declaration of 3 April 2008 and to the outcome of the NATO Council meeting of 19 August 2008,
– having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the EU remains committed to supporting the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of placeplaceGeorgia within its internationally recognised borders,
B. whereas during the night of 7 August, after weeks of low-level hostilities (and provocations by separatists) in placeGeorgiaplace's breakaway region of South Ossetia, placeTbilisi launched an offensive on the capital of that region, Tskhinvali,
C. whereas Russia, which supports the region's claim for independence, responded immediately with a massive counter-attack, sending in tanks and ground troops, bombing several locations in Georgia, including the town of Gori, and blocking Georgian Black Sea ports,
D. whereas a six-point ceasefire plan was brokered by the EU and signed by placeGeorgiaplace and placeRussia on 15 and 16 August respectively,
E. whereas, on 22 August, the Russian troops began to withdraw from Georgian territory and the Russian Government announced that it would keep troops in a security zone around South Ossetia, establishing eight check points at which 500 peacekeepers will be deployed,
F. whereas, on 25 August, the upper house of the Russian Parliament voted a resolution asking the President to recognise the independence of Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia,
G. whereas this conflict settlement will have far-reaching implications for regional stability and security, going well beyond the direct relationship between all sides in the conflict, with possible repercussions for the EU-Russia relationship, the European Neighbourhood Policy, the Black Sea region and beyond,
1. Condemns the military intervention by placeGeorgiaplace in its region of South Ossetia on 8 August and the brutal and disproportionate reaction by placeRussia to this assault, which targeted both civilian and economic infrastructures, in clear violation of international law;
2. Deplores the loss of life and human suffering caused by the use of indiscriminate force by all parties engaged in the conflict;
3. Condemns placeRussia's military response and deep incursion into placeGeorgia, which violates international law; calls on placeRussiaplace to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of placeGeorgia and the inviolability of its internationally recognised borders;
4. Stresses vehemently that there is no military solution to this conflict and that only a political solution can be found;
5. Praises the EU Presidency for the efficiency and speed with which it has reacted to this conflict and the unity shown by the EU Member States in mediating between both sides enabling them to sign a ceasefire peace plan;
6. Supports fully the well balanced Council conclusions of 1 September 2008, and asks the Council to report regularly to Parliament on the ongoing discussions with placeplaceRussia and the implementation of the decisions taken by the Council;
7. Calls on both placeRussiaplace and Georgia to fully implement the six-point ceasefire agreement, and urges placeplaceRussia to immediately withdraw its troops to its peacekeeping positions prior to the conflict;
8. Demands that an independent international investigation be carried out as a matter of urgency in order to establish the facts and bring greater clarity to certain allegations (use of cluster bombs, crimes against the Ossetian population);
9. Concludes that the appropriateness of status talks regarding placeSouth Ossetia can only be determined once such an investigation has been completed;
10. Welcomes the initiatives taken by the OSCE to increase the number of unarmed observers; calls for a further strengthening of the OSCE Georgia Mission, with full freedom of movement throughout the country, and encourages the EU Member States to make a contribution to these efforts;
11. Urges placeRussiaplace to refrain from any further action which would be detrimental to placeGeorgia's economy or would further disrupt the daily lives of its citizens;
12. Rejects the Russian Government's unilateral recognition of the independence of the de facto regions of placeSouth Ossetia and Abkhazia because it further complicates the conflict resolution process;
13. Strongly condemns the forced resettlement of Georgians from placeSouth Ossetia and calls on the de facto South Ossetian authorities to guarantee the safe return of the displaced civilian population, in line with international humanitarian law;
14. Reiterates the EU's firm commitment to defending the status and authority of international law;
15. Asks the Council to consider the deployment of an ESDP (European Security and Defence Policy) monitoring mission to complement the UN and OSCE missions and to ask for a UN mandate for an ESDP peace mission;
16. Welcomes the EU's active and continued support for all international efforts to find a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict, in particular the Council's commitment to supporting all UN, OSCE and other efforts to settle the conflict; welcomes in particular the decision to reinforce the Office of the EU Special Representative in Tbilisi and the border support team;
17. Welcomes the Commission's € 6 million fast-track humanitarian aid package for civilians, which must be bolstered by further funds on the basis of a needs assessment on the ground; notes the urgent need for reconstruction aid in the aftermath of the conflict;
18. Calls on both governments to take the necessary steps to facilitate the immediate return of recently displaced persons and refugees to their homes and to allow unrestricted access for humanitarian aid;
19. Strongly supports further EU mediation efforts, which must comprise determined support for Georgia (and possibly other countries in the region) and a serious dialogue with Russia regarding its interests in the shared neighbourhood; in this context, looks forward to the informal Foreign Affairs Ministers meeting in Avignon on 5-6 September;
20. Proposes that the EU sets up a special unit in the framework of the EU delegation in placeplaceTbilisi in order to manage the reconstruction efforts;
21. Stresses the inter-relatedness of a number of problems in the South Caucasus region and the need for a comprehensive solution in the form of a stability pact, with the involvement of the major external actors; underlines the need to enhance cooperation with the neighbouring countries of the Black Sea region by setting up a special institutional and multilateral mechanism such as a Union for the Black Sea, and organising an international security and cooperation conference on the South Caucasus region; asks the Commission, therefore, to make a specific proposal to the Council and Parliament on the setting-up of a multilateral framework for the Black Sea region, including Turkey and Ukraine; considers that neighbouring countries, such as Kazakhstan, should be involved in the interests of the whole region's stability and energy flows;
22. Takes the view that cooperation in the South Caucasus should not be about mutually exclusive zones of influence between EU and placeplaceRussia (so-called 'spheres of interest') but, on the contrary, about a coordinated approach;
23. Stresses the need to safeguard stability in the placeSouth Caucasus region and calls on the Armenian and Azerbaijani Governments to contribute to achieving this aim, while respecting all their international commitments;
24. Reaffirms the principle that pluralistic and democratic governance, with functioning opposition parties and respect for human and civil rights, constitutes the best guarantee for stability in the entire South Caucasus region;
25. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the placeMemberplace Statesplace, the Presidents and Parliaments of Georgia and the placeRussian Federation, NATO, the OSCE and the Council of Europe.
- [1] OJ L 157, 17.6.2008, p. 110.