Brussels, 28/08/2008 (Agence Europe) - The EU must be at the forefront of efforts to bring about peace and reconstruction in Georgia, meeting the Russian demonstration of force with a commitment in favour of democracy, prosperity and security throughout the region. This is the main conclusion reached by a study published by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), a pan-European think tank on European external policy issues. The authors of the report draw lessons in favour of European action in the region from their analysis of the objectives pursued by Russia in this conflict and the past opportunities that the EU has missed to become more involved on the ground.
Entitled “Can the EU win the peace in Georgia?”, the study recommends that the EU27 should not use punitive measures against Russia but allow Moscow to decide whether it wishes to cooperate within the framework of an international peacekeeping mission in Georgia or whether it wishes to expose itself to a freeze in relations. In addition to the promotion of an international peacekeeping mission bringing together military contingents from European countries, Russia and other regional partners (Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Ukraine), the EU must, in parallel, deploy a civilian mission to deal with humanitarian and reconstruction issues. The EU's presence, however, must not end there. Europeans must also commit themselves to long-term stabilisation of the region and to reconciliation between Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia (through the organisation of a donors' conference, visa facilitation, etc.). An action plan for Georgia's access to NATO must also remain an objective. It should moreover be noted that the German chairman of the European Parliament's subcommittee on defence, Karl von Wogau (EPP-ED), is also calling for the prospect of Georgia's access to NATO to be enhanced. He calls for deployment of an EU ESDP mission as an integral part of an international peacekeeping force and for effective EU contribution to the reconstruction of the country's infrastructure.
According to the ECFR, emphasis must also be placed on European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and especially with regard to Ukraine, thanks to visible signs of solidarity (an EU-Ukraine summit is to be held in Evian, France, on 9 September). The first commitment would be to recognise Ukraine's right to join the EU and to clarify the country's prospect of joining NATO. The other measures recommended by the ECFR with regard to Ukraine concern among other things: the participation of the Ukrainian foreign minister at a forthcoming External Relations Council, the establishment of a roadmap with a view to a visa liberalisation regime (EUROPE 9706), and European support with a view to discussions on withdrawal of the Russian fleet from the Crimea in 2017. (A.B./transl.jl)