U.S. Calls on Tbilisi to Strengthen Democratic Institutions

U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE Julie Finley said while addressing a special session of the organization’s Permanent Council on March 27 that “Georgia’s challenge remains to strengthen democratic institutions.”

She said that although “Georgia’s continuing achievements” since the Rose Revolution and the fact that “much has been done” in reforming the educational system, judiciary, revamping the police force, significantly decreasing corruption, boosting budget revenues, “The United States shares the concerns of the OSCE Mission [in Georgia] regarding excessively long pretrial detention, the independence of the judiciary, the status of minority communities, and freedom of the media.”

“We urge the Government of Georgia to address these issues… The United States is committed to helping where we can,” Ambassador Finely said.

The U.S. diplomat was speaking in response to Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli’s address to the Permanent Council, in which he spoke about the developments in the South Ossetian conflict zone.

In her speech, the U.S. Ambassador also reiterated the firm support of the U.S. towards Georgia’s territorial integrity and condemned South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity’s calls for the region’s incorporation into the Russian Federation.

She also expressed hope that a session of the quadripartite Joint Control Commission, which is currently underway in Russia’s North Ossetian capital Vladikavkaz, will “result in an agreement on elaborating – without delay – a consolidated Peace Plan for South Ossetia that reflects the views of both Tbilisi and Tskhinvali.

“Such action would pave the way for a peaceful negotiated resolution of South Ossetia’s status within Georgia,” she added.