Georgië: 'Rusland moet zijn beloftes nakomen', zeggen leden Europees Parlement

MEPs call on Russia to honour its commitments and withdraw its troops from Georgia, in a resolution adopted by the European Parliament. MEPs are in favour of a European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) monitoring mission to Georgia and ask the European Commission to propose visa facilitation and readmission agreements. They also call for a boost to the EU's neighbourhood policy and reaffirm the importance of Georgia in improving EU energy security.

MEPs call on Russia to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Georgia and to honour all its commitments under the ceasefire agreement, beginning with the complete and immediate withdrawal of its troops.  They strongly condemn the recognition by the Russian Federation of the independence of the breakaway Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Otherwise, MEPs call on the Council and Commission to review their policy towards Russia. They back the European Council's decision to postpone the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement negotiations until the withdrawal of the Russian troops to their positions prior to 7 August.

In order to facilitate de-mining operations, MEPs call on the Russian and Georgian authorities to provide full information concerning the areas where their armies dropped cluster bombs.

Visa facilitation and international investigation

MEPs call on the Commission to propose visa facilitation and readmission agreements with Georgia at least equivalent to those for Russia.

MEPs demand that an independent international investigation be carried in order to establish the facts and bring greater clarity to certain allegations. The House urges Georgia, which ratified the Rome Statute of the ICC, and the Russian authorities to lend support to and fully cooperate with the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

European Security and Defence Policy monitoring mission

MEPs ask the Council to consider the deployment of an ESDP (European Security and Defence Policy) monitoring mission to complement the UN and OSCE missions.  MEPs welcome in particular the decision to appoint an EU Special Representative for the crisis in Georgia.

Neighbourhood policy and energy dependence

The European Neighbourhood Policy should be developed and more adapted to "the needs of our eastern partners", including a strengthening of EU involvement in the Black Sea region, according to MEPs. They back the proposal to speed up the establishment of a free trade zone with Georgia, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.

The House stresses the importance of Georgia in improving EU energy security by providing an alternative to the Russian energy transit route. MEPs expect a strong EU commitment in pursuing the Nabucco pipeline project which would cross Georgia's territory. The need to diversify sources of supply is also underlined by MEPs.

Socialist group would have preferred mention of Saakashvili "inappropriate" initial action

Martin Schulz (PES, DE) speaking in the plenary in the vote said that the PES group would have preferred that a mention of Georgia's "inappropriate initial behaviour" at the start of the conflict be included in the joint resolution.  In the negotiations with the other groups on the joint resolution this mention was not included.