OSCE Chair Speaks of Elections, Russo-Georgian Ties, S.Ossetia

OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva said he was visiting Georgia at a “vital time” for the country, as parliamentary elections loom this May.

The Finn was speaking at a joint news conference with his Georgian counterpart, Davit Bakradze, on February 27. He is visiting Georgia as part of a wider visit to the South Caucasus. He said that the upcoming elections, Georgia’s relations with Russia and the South Ossetian conflict topped the agenda of the meeting with the Georgian leadership.

“The OSCE expects that Georgia will strive for the highest international standards so that they will fulfill those standards on the OSCE and on the international level in next parliamentary elections,” Kanerva said. “Georgian authorities have already sent the invitation to [OSCE] international election monitoring [mission] and this is very positive… They [the Georgian authorities] are opening doors for the international observers and I welcome this kind of activity.”

He said that upcoming parliamentary elections would be “a new opportunity” to demonstrate Georgia’s drive towards pluralistic democracy.

After publishing its two post-election preliminary reports, the OSCE/ODIHR is now expected to publish its final conclusions on the January 5 presidential election sometime in March or April.

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office also underlined the importance of ongoing “constructive dialogue” between the opposition and government. “This is also a positive thing,” he said. “This dialogue is needed to improve the electoral system in Georgia.”

Kanerva also said that Georgia’s efforts to improve relations with Russia were “a positive signal.”

“Your [the Georgian side’s] commitment and efforts to improve the relations with Russia is important and quite a positive thing. I hope that you will actively continue this dialogue,” he said. “Improving relations with Russia will contribute to regional stability and prosperity.”

He also underlined the importance of continuing “constructive dialogue” between the sides in the South Ossetian conflict. “Peaceful resolution of the conflict is very essential. Of course, Georgian territorial integrity must be respected,” the OSCE Chairman-in-Office said.