Agreement on limiting military presence near Ossetia

(B2)The European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) in Georgia and the Ministry of Defense of Georgia signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Monday, January 26, which provides for certain restrictions on the movements of the Georgian Armed Forces in the vicinity of the administrative border lines of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as well as an advance information mechanism to the EUMM.

This memorandum of understanding will stabilize the situation along the lines of the administrative border we explain to the EUMM. " He contributes to the implementation of the six-point plan (known as the Sarkozy-Medvedev plan), which requires that there be no use of force ". For the head of the EUMM, German Ambassador Hansjörg Haber: "This responds to the idea that military forces should operate according to the principles of transparency and predictability. It is a step in the right direction. This unilateral (gesture) of the Georgian government goes in the direction of de-escalation and prevention of tensions. "" This does not mean diplomatic recognition of the status quo.. he immediately added.

The head of the EUMM also hoped that Russia " will study this agreement carefully, in a positive spirit. If Russia decided to respond, in a reciprocal way, it would improve security and stability. I'm sure ". For Haber, it is necessary in particular that " Russia provide clarification on the total number of its forces inside Abkhazia and South Ossetia (and) its forces based in the immediate vicinity of the administrative border lines. There can only be real stability if both parties contribute to it. ".

(NGV)