PACE Debates Georgia-Russia War

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is debating the August war between Georgia and Russia. Today’s debate follows an earlier one on September 30.

In the run-up to the debates, an ad hoc committee paid a fact-finding visit to Georgia and Russia on September 22-25. The group called for an international probe into the events that led to the war.

Upon completion of the debates, the Assembly will adopt a special resolution apparently calling on Russia to fully withdraw its forces from Georgia and reverse its decision to recognize the secessionist regions.

The draft resolution says Russian recognition of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia is a violation of international law and the six-point ceasefire agreement.

The draft resolution also says that dialogue is the best way forward for a solution to the conflict, but some basic preconditions have to be established and observed.

“Full implementation of the peace plan, including withdrawal of the Russian troops to positions ex ante the conflict, is essential. In addition, full deployment of EU and OSCE monitors into South Ossetia and withdrawal by Russia of the recognition of independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, would be minimum conditions for a meaningful dialogue,” it says.

The draft resolution condemns the war between Russia and Georgia and calls for an international investigation “that can bring clarity to the exact sequence of events on 7 and 8 August as well as the circumstances that led to the outbreak of armed hostilities between Georgia and Russia.”

“It is clear that both sides did not do enough to prevent the war and that grave human rights violations were committed and continue to be committed up to this day. There can be no impunity for these violations and alleged ethnic cleansing,” the draft resolution says. “Russian Federation bears full responsibility for the protection of civilians in the territories that are under its effective control and therefore for the crimes and human rights violations that are committed against them.”

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