Brussels, 27/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - As we suggested in newsletter 9947, the Council decided formally, on Monday 27 July, to extend the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) for a further year, until 14 September 2010. In conclusions adopted on Monday, ministers applaud what has been achieved by the Mission in its first six months. “The deployment of EU monitors (after the conflict between Russia and Georgia) has contributed to creating the necessary conditions for the implementation of the agreements of 12 August and 8 September 2008,” ministers say. They also hailed the results of the Mission in terms of stabilisation, normalisation and confidence building. “The Mission's presence on the ground remains a key stabilising factor,” the conclusions say. The Council also noted “with deep regret and concern” that there was still no agreement on the future of the UN and OSCE missions in Georgia (Russia has vetoed their extension). These circumstances further increase the importance and the “crucial role” of the European mission, currently the only one present on the ground, ministers said. The Council also noted that the EUMM Georgia mandate extends to the whole of the country, including the two breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Hitherto, European monitors have been refused entry to these two regions, whose unilaterally declared independence is recognised only by Russia and Nicaragua. Ministers called on Monday for the European mission to have “unhindered access” to the two regions.
The possibility of opening the EUMM to third countries (possibly the United States or Turkey) as Georgia would like, was not debated in any depth by the Council. This debate, which could bring fresh tension with Moscow, is premature, said Italian Minister Franco Frattini, for example. “To have the Americans join (the European mission) might cause us to fall into a trap,” said French Minister Bernard Kouchner. The first priority for the EU must be to strengthen the European presence and to get access to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, he told press. Swedish Foreign Minister and current Council President Carl Bildt said that the issue of allowing third countries to join the EUMM Georgia might be discussed in the autumn. (H.B./transl.rt)