Norway to provide monitors for the OSCE mission to Georgia

Norway supports the proposal that the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) should increase its presence in Georgia by 100 military monitoring officers.

“Together with the EU, the OSCE is playing a key role in promoting peace in Georgia. It is therefore important that all the participating states support the OSCE’s efforts, and enable it to maintain an active engagement in the region,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre.

“We have therefore offered today to provide around 10 or 12 military monitoring officers to the OSCE mission in Georgia for a minimum period of six moths. This will help the OSCE towards its goal of increasing its presence in Georgia by up to 100 monitors,” said Minister of Defence Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen.

The monitors are to follow the humanitarian situation, in addition to reporting on military developments.

“We believe that a rapid and extensive deployment of military monitoring officers will have an immediate, positive effect on the ground,” added Ms Strøm-Erichsen.

“The presence of a larger number of OSCE monitors is particularly important in the current situation, before agreement is reached on a more robust international presence. The OSCE has a key role to play in ensuring a peaceful resolution to the conflict, and can make an active contribution to ensuring that the conflict does not spread to other parts of the region,” said Mr Støre.