Speech
OSCE, Permanent Council No 558: EU Statement on the agreement between the Russian Federation and Georgia on the withdrawal of the Russian military bases from Georgia

Date of Speech : 02-06-2005

Place : Vienna

Speaker : Jacques Reuter, permanent representative of Luxembourg at the OSCE

Policy area : General Affairs and External Relations

Recalling the statement by the EU High Representative Javier Solana made in Brussels on 31 May, the EU welcomes the agreement reached between the Russian Federation and Georgia to complete the withdrawal of the remaining Russian military bases from the territory of Georgia by 2008, as described in the joint declaration by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and Georgia of 30 May 2005.

The EU is also pleased that in the joint statement the sides have agreed to enable an international mission to monitor the situation on the site that was used by the Russian military base Gudauta.

On many previous occasions, the EU has reaffirmed the need of reaching an early agreement between the parties on the duration and modalities of the Russian military bases and the Russian military facilities within the territory of Georgia, in accordance with the 1999 Istanbul Commitments. The EU looks forward to the fulfilment of all outstanding Istanbul commitments.

The EU therefore calls upon both sides to take all necessary measures to implement the obligations stipulated in the joint declaration by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, including, in the nearest time, to prepare for the signing of the relevant formal agreements.

The Acceding Countries Bulgaria and Romania, the Candidate Countries Turkey and Croatia¹ and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this declaration.

¹Croatia continues to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.