The obligation to stop violence in Georgia

The Council of the European Green Party:

1. Regrets the escalation of violence which occurred in the first half of August 2008.

2. Points out that the outbreak of the conflict was the result of a serious escalation of tensions, with provocations which had started much earlier.

3. Condemns the use of military indiscriminate force by all parties engaged in the conflict as a means of international politics and/or a solution to intra- or inter-state problems.

4. Is especially concerned about the humanitarian catastrophe which took place during and after the war. The large number of military and civilian victims from both sides, as mentioned in the European Parliamentary Assembly resolution along with documented facts of ethnic cleansing and the forced resettlement committed in ethnic Georgian villages in South Ossetia and the “buffer zones” by irregular militia and gangs.

5. Draws attention to the terrifying fact of ecocide committed in Georgia was aggravated by the terrifying fact of ecocide committed in Georgia. Forest fires in the Borjomi valley of Georgia caused damage equal to 1100 hectares in total. 950 hectares of this damaged area was in Borjomi gorge, part of which is in the unique Borjomi Kharagauli National Park, developed in cooperation with the European foundations. Irreparable damage caused to the biodiversity and especially wildlife of the area, therefore infringed the 1977 UN Convention on Prohibiting Use of Any Sources against Nature during Military Actions or Some Other Hostilities.

5. The European Greens welcome:

- the first agreement reached after the August war with the participation of all the parties involved in the conflict on joint mechanisms to prevent and respond to incidents in the zones of the Georgian- Abkhaz and Georgian-South Ossetian border, made on February 18, 2009 in Geneva.

6. The European Greens call for:

- the Russian authorities and the international community in general to respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of the internationally recognised borders of the Republic of Georgia, and dismisses in consequence any recognitions of the independence of the breakaway Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as contrary to international law;

- all relevant parties in the Caucasus to engage in a long term peace process;

- the European Union, whilst acknowledging its leading role in the achievement of a ceasefire and the efforts for a peaceful resolution to the Russian-Georgian conflict, to extend its efforts as the major political player in the region also with regard to a peaceful resolution of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

- all states to refuse to recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia;

The European Greens demand:

a) that a significant number of international observers be let into South Ossetia and Abkhazia;

b) that the de facto South Ossetian and Abkhazian authorities guarantee the safe return of the displaced civilian population, in line with international humanitarian law and respect for their property and that minority rights are fully respected by all parties engaged.

c) that the OSCE mission to Georgia can continue its work.

d) that an EU-mandated truth mission, chaired by the Swiss diplomat, Heidi Tagliavini, investigate the facts of ecocides in Georgia along with the military and political aspects of war investigation.

e) to enhance cooperation with Georgia and others in the region within the Eastern Partnership, as referred to by the European Parliament’s resolution on the situation in Georgia.

8. The  European Greens remind Georgian Russia and their political leaderships of the value of an open democracy.

Downlaod the complete collection of resolutions from the 2009 Spring Council in PDF format here...