Cablegate: Osce Permanent Council: Statement On "Bilateral

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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #7282 0552240
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 242237Z FEB 10
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE IMMEDIATE 7796
INFO RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 7634
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI 2476

UNCLAS STATE 017282

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OSCE PGOV PREL GG RF
SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: STATEMENT ON "BILATERAL
AGREEMENTS" BETWEEN RUSSIA AND ABKHAZIA

1. Post is authorized to make the following statement at the
February 25, 2010, Permanent Council meeting in Vienna:

Begin text:

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The United States strongly regrets the February 17 signing of
so-called "bilateral agreements" between the Russian
Federation and the Abkhazia region of Georgia. We are
particularly concerned by an apparent agreement to allow the
Russian Federation to build a military base in Gudauta.
Furthermore, there are media reports of plans for further
bases for Russian airborne troops and the Russian navy.

These actions clearly violate Georgia's sovereignty and
territorial integrity and contravene Russia's commitments
under the August 12 cease-fire agreement. They also
undermine principles and commitments agreed by OSCE
participating States and enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act,
the Charter for European Security, and other OSCE documents.

The United States remain committed to a long-term, peaceful
resolution to the conflict. We have repeatedly called on
Russia to honor the terms of its cease-fire agreement with
Georgia, and we once again urge Russia to withdraw its troops
to positions held prior to the start of hostilities and to
provide free access for humanitarian assistance to the
Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions of Georgia. Russia's
characterization of these regions as independent does not
relieve it of these commitments.

We reiterate our full support for Georgia's sovereignty and
territorial integrity within its internationally recognized
borders. We also reiterate our firm belief that the OSCE and
other international actors can play a valuable role in
resolving ongoing problems and providing critical monitoring
of human rights and humanitarian conditions, and we once more
urge the re-establishment of an OSCE presence in Georgia,
along with continued efforts to make concrete progress on
issues of concern through the Geneva discussions and the
Joint Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms. In this
regard, we are particularly concerned that the South Ossetia
IPRM has not been functioning for several months because of a
boycott by the South Ossetian participants.

As we have said before, Mr. Chair, progress on the conflicts
in Georgia would help build confidence, protect civilians,
and represent a tangible contribution to improving European
security. We sincerely hope to see positive steps forward.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman

END TEXT
CLINTON

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