OSCE CHAIRMAN CALLS ON GEORGIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA TO HALT MILITARY ACTION

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.08.2008 18:29 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign
Minister Alexander Stubb, today urged an end to all military action
in the zone of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict.

"The intense fighting in the South Ossetian conflict zone risks
escalation into a full-fledged war. War would have a devastating
impact for the entire region. I urge the Georgians, South Ossetians
and Russians to cease fire, end military action and stop further
escalation," he said. "We need to pull back from the brink of a
full-fledged war. "

Stubb said he was in contact with Tbilisi and Tskhinvali as well as
all international actors involved in resolving the conflict.

"The international community needs to act together to prevent a
full-fledged war. I am in constant contact with my colleagues in the
European Union and the United States. I have also called for restraint
in the Russian reaction," he said.

"I condemn the shelling of the OSCE Mission premises in Tskhinvali. The
OSCE Mission to Georgia is intensively working with all parties to
defuse tensions. The Mission’s work and mandate must be respected
by all parties in the conflict. I am ready to increase the number of
OSCE observers as soon as the situation allows."

The Minister said the Special Envoy of the Chairman-in-Office,
Ambassador Heikki Talvitie, would travel to Georgia immediately. Other
immediate steps include an extraordinary Permanent Council meeting
in Vienna today. The Chairman-in-Office is planning to visit Georgia
in the very near future, the OSCE communication unit reports.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress