Russia Vetoes OSCE Border Operation in Georgia
At the session of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna Russia vetoed on December 30 to prolong border monitoring mission in Georgia, as a result around 150 observers from the OSCE member countries, who were monitoring Russo-Georgian Border since 1999, will start leaving their posts on December 31, RFE/RL reported.
At the session, described by the RFE/RL as ?highly charged,? the Russian delegation refused to support the prolongation of the mission saying that it is no longer needed.
Russia?s veto was not a surprise, as the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Sofia on December 8 that the OSCE border monitoring mission in Georgia has “already achieved its aims.”
Up to 150 unarmed observers from OSCE member countries conduct round-the-clock foot, air and vehicle monitoring procedures along the 280 km Daghestani, Chechen and Ingush sections of the Russian-Georgian border, in an effort to observe and report border-crossing movements.
The OSCE launched these patrols along the 82 km border between Georgia and the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation in 1999, following frequent and mutual accusations between Tbilisi and Moscow over cross-border movements of militant groups.
At the request of the Georgian government, the OSCE agreed to extend monitoring into the 58 km Ingush section of the Georgian-Russian border in December 2001. In December 2002 the OSCE decided to further extend its monitoring mission to the Daghestani section of the border.
However, it seems that the consultations over the possible prolongation of the border operation mandate will continue. The RFE/RL reported quoting OSCE spokesman Richard Murphy, that ?withdrawal of the monitors will be managed in such a way that they could rapidly return to their posts if a compromise is achieved.?
He also said Georgia, the United States, the European Union, and other countries have pledged to continue to pressure Russia to reverse its veto.
