OSCE Extends Border Monitoring Mission in Georgia

The Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) decided on June 29 to prolong its border monitoring mission in Georgia along the Ingush, Chechen and Daghestani sections of the Russo-Georgian border for six more months.

Up to 150 unarmed observers from the OSCE member countries conduct round-the-clock foot, air and vehicle monitoring procedures throughout the 280 km section of the Russian-Georgian border, in efforts to observe and report border-crossing movements.

According to the OSCE Tbilisi office, 42 air crossings and 373 foot  crossings were reported at this border in 2003.

The OSCE launched these patros along the 82 km border between Georgia and the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation in 1999, following the frequent and mutual accusations between Tbilisi and Moscow over the cross-border movements of militant groups.

At the request of the Georgian government, the OSCE agreed in December 2001 to extend monitoring into the 58 km Ingush section of the Georgian-Russian border. In December 2002 the OSCE decided to further extend its monitoring mission to the Daghestani section of the border.