Georgian observers under fire

Nov 19, 2008
In cooperation with BNS

VILNIUS- Lithuanians part of the EU monitoring mission have observed the situation on the Georgian- Abkhazia region border to be complicated as the group, along with Italian observers, came under fire. 

Mission spokesman Steve Bird commented that the group was shot at during an investigation of a murder of a Georgian police officer, Bird told BNS on Nov 18 that the Italians served in the same office of EU monitors based in Zugdidi, as the Lithuanians.

"We have made it very clear that they (EU monitors) were not in the Abkhaz territory, they were 40 meters on the Georgian side of the administrative boundary line. The EU monitoring mission's mandate covers the whole of Georgia and wherever they may be it is not acceptable for them to be shot at. It is a civilian unarmed mission seeking to build confidence with all the different sides that are involved at the moment. (...) This is the first incident where firing has taken place near our monitors,"Bird said.

A total of five monitors from Lithuania work in the EU mission in Georgia, in addition to two more officials in Tbilisi.

In Bird's words, the situation at the borders of Georgia's separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia is different. He described the situation on the South Ossetian border as being better.

"The main difficulty as far as the EU monitoring mission is concerned is that it has been very difficult to try and make any contact with Abkhaz and Russian authorities and discuss with them the situation on the boundary line and access across the checkpoints. At the moment, we haven't been able to establish who are the best people to contact and build up discussions about these issues. It's different in South Ossetia. Some of the other organizations have been able to make contact with the South Ossetian de facto interior minister and the local Russian troop commander. (...) But the situation on the Abkhaz border is much more complicated," said Bird.

Georgia and Russia have been in disagreement for over a decade with regards to control of Georgia's separatist territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russia is also opposed to Georgia's NATO bid. This conflict reached its culmination in the beginning of August, at which time military actions were commenced in South Ossetia and soon extended to other regions of Georgia. South Ossetia and Abkhazia declared independence, however, their independence was recognized by only Russia and Nicaragua.

The mission is comprised of 200 monitors observing the situation and organizing the return of refugees who fled their homes during the armed attacks over the Georgian territory in August 2008.

SOCIAL BOOKMARKS:   Delicious   Digg   Reddit   Ask   Facebook   MrWong   Netvouz