EU Monitors Want Access to Abkhazia, S.Ossetia

The EU Monitoring Mission’s (EUMM) mandate covers entire Georgia and European monitors access inside breakaway regions should not be “unacceptable,” as claimed by the de factor authorities, Hansjörg Haber, head of EUMM, said on November 5.

A group of EU monitors entered inside Abkhazia on November 4, the mission spokesman told Civil.Ge, and returned back after approached an Abkhaz-Russian checkpoint “nearby the village of Otobaia,” which is located in the Gali district, just at the Abkhaz side of the administrative border.

Foreign Minister of breakaway Abkhazia, Sergey Shamba, said, according to the Russian news agencies, that “unauthorized” entry of EU monitors inside Abkhazia was “unacceptable.”

“EUMM has a Georgia-wide mandate, thus including Abkhazia and South Ossetia,” Hansjörg Haber, the head of EU monitoring mission said in a written statement released on November 5. “However, EUMM is a civilian and unarmed mission. We cannot and we do not want to force our way. We can only go where there is cooperation.”

“It is the task of our monitors to knock on the doors and request access to Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Therefore, our patrols approach the Russian, Abkhaz and South Ossetian checkpoints along the administrative boundary line. We approach the staff of the checkpoints in a friendly manner, try to establish contacts and explain our mandate. We will continue this confidence-building work.”

He said that it was in the interests of the de facto authorities in Abkhazia and South Ossetia to cooperate with the EU monitors and to grant them access inside the regions.

“Only then, can EUMM paint a complete and objective picture of the situation on the ground and help to enhance security for the people living in these areas,” the German diplomat said.

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