The undersigned members of the Parliamentary Assembly, holding
firmly to the founding ideals and principles of the Council of Europe
as well as to the binding procedures set up by the Assembly to achieve
a greater unity between its member states for the purpose of safeguarding
and realising these ideals and principles, are seriously concerned
about the persistent failure by the Russian Federation to honour
its obligations and commitments imposed upon it by the Assembly Resolutions 1633 (2008) and 1647 (2009) and its lack of co-operation as defined
in Rule 8.2.b of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure.
Aware of the potential consequences of such situation for
the stability and peace in Europe, we call for a firmer response
against a policy based on show of force and provocation. The risk
of uncontrolled chain reactions and fears of the existence of a
broader-reaching strategy than the one operated in the Caucasus
are a grave threat to international security.
While the conflict in the Caucasus fully demonstrates the
relevance of ever more extensive European construction, it is for
the Council of Europe, a key player in that construction, to adopt
a stance in line with its principles and values.
1 contrary to the
requirements of paragraphs 9 and 22.2 of
Resolution 1633 and paragraphs 4 and 9.3 of
Resolution 1647, not only has Russia refused to withdraw its unilateral
recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but it has established
military, legal and diplomatic links with de facto regimes;
2 in violation of paragraph 22.1 of
Resolution 1633 and paragraphs 9.4 and 9.5 of
Resolution 1647, Russia remains in blatant breach of the European Union-brokered
cease-fire agreement. It has not withdrawn to
ex
ante war positions and continues to occupy the Akhalgori
District, Upper Abkhazia and the Georgian enclave around Tskhinvali
previously controlled by the Georgian Government. Furthermore, Russia
has significantly increased its military presence in the occupied
territories and declared intention to construct three military bases,
including naval and air force. Incidents by Russian military warplanes and
helicopters violating the Georgian air space have increased since;
3 Russia continues to deny OSCE and European Union monitors
access to the occupied territories, as requested in paragraph 22.2
of
Resolution 1633 and paragraph 9.8 of
Resolution 1647. Even more, on 10 February and 21 April, South Ossetian
militia allied to the Russian occupying forces briefly detained OSCE
military observers;
4 in violation of paragraph 22.4 of
Resolution 1633 and paragraph 11.4 of
Resolution 1647 Russia has not undertaken any measures towards the establishment
of a new peacekeeping format and internationalisation of the peacekeeping
force;
5 notwithstanding the incident prevention mechanism reached
at the Geneva talks, Russia, in contradiction with paragraph 22.5
of
Resolution 1633, has continuously failed to put it into action. In addition,
Russia has failed to bring to an immediate halt the provocations
and attacks from the South Ossetian and Abkhaz sides of the administrative
border as requested in paragraph 9.10 of
Resolution 1647. The European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) has continuously
been condemning roadside bomb and other provocations and incidents
which have resulted in bringing the number of Georgian police casualties
since 12 August 2008 to 12;
6 paragraphs 9.9 and 9.11 of
Resolution 1647 request Russia to ensure bringing ethnic cleansing of persons
of Georgian ethnicity to a halt and reversal of their results. Instead,
Russia has tolerated and supported forced “passportisation” of ethnic
Georgians in Akhalgori and Gali districts as well as restrictions
on their education rights;
7 as stated by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities,
the restrictions on the right of return of IDPs from the areas under
control of the de facto South Ossetian leadership is in contradiction
to the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of
Justice in The Hague. Instead of use of the international tools
for peaceful conflict resolution and to implement the interim measures
ordered by the ECHR, Russia, in violation of paragraph 22.10 of
resolution 1633, refused the competence of the International Court of
Justice over the alleged human rights violations.
In the light of the above, the undersigned demand the Assembly
to reconsider – on the basis of Rule 9.1.a. of the Rules of Procedure
of the Assembly – the ratified credentials of the Russian delegation
on substantive grounds.
