EU Monitors Begin Mission in Georgia

by Dan Forrest
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Europe

TBILISI, Georgia - Observers from the European Union have arrived in Georgia and will now begin monitoring the recent cease fire agreement between Russia and Georgia.  By the terms of the contract, Russia has 10 days to withdraw its forces from the region surrounding Abkhazia and South Ossetia.  During these ten days, EU monitors will replace Russian peacekeeping forces that have set up command posts throughout the area.   

Thus far it seems that Russia is set to meet its obligations.  Javier Solena, a spokeswoman for the EU Foreign Affairs Chief, told reporters on Tuesday that, "We have no indication that Russia will not withdraw from the positions they have to withdraw from.  We are convinced that they will abide by their commitments.  We gave the go-ahead today, and by tomorrow the monitors will be in place." 

That Russia will likely withdraw its forces peacefully is good news for the region.  Some reports indicated as recently as a week ago that Russia might not honor the terms of the agreement. 

Nevertheless, EU monitors cannot begin all of their work because they do not yet have access to vital areas of their mandate.  Russian forces have not yet allowed them to enter the buffer zone between surrounding South Ossetia.  EU officials hope that this restricted access is temporary, and that in a just a few days the observers will be allowed access all areas in the region. 

The cease fire agreement between Georgia and Russia became necessary as the result of a short war between the two sides in August.  Georgian forces reacted to violence occurring within its borders, and Russia subsequently invaded the nation to protect Ossetians from being killed.  While the west generally views Russia's invasion of Georgia as a disproportionate response to what was happening within Georgia's borders, Russia continues to defend its actions, and now recognizes Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states. 

For more information, please see:

Impunity Watch - EU Monitors prepare for Vital Georgia Mission - 26 September 2008

Impunity Watch - Mounting Tension Over Troop Levels in Georgia - 22 September 2008

International Herald Tribune - EU monitors set to deploy in Georgia - 30 September 2008

Yahoo (AP) - EU monitors begin Georgia mission, awaiting access - 30 September 2008