Forty Estonian MPs initiate statement in support of Georgia

22.04.2008

TALLINN, Apr 22, BNS - Forty members of the Estonian parliament on Tuesday initiated a statement in support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia that is planned to be adopted in an extra session on Wednesday.

According to the draft, the parliament would express its deep concern over the statement issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry last week in relation to a regulation signed by the Russian president about tightening of contacts with the de facto authorities of the Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions of Georgia without the consent of the Georgian government.

Such behavior by the Russian Federation threatens the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, and the Estonian parliament condemns such unilateral behavior, the statement says. It also calls on Russia to suspend the fulfilment of the regulation.

The draft submitted to the Estonian parliament says that as a member of the group of friends of the United Nations Secretary General Russia has assumed co-responsibility for promoting the peace process between Georgia and Abkhazia. Russia's inability to fulfill the commitments assumed by it and attempts to jeopardize Georgia's territorial integrity may call into question the possibility to sign a partnership and cooperation accord between the European Union and Russia, it says.

The Estonian parliament would with the statement welcome Georgia's peaceful steps toward solving of the conflicts and express its support for the peace plan published in March this year.

Furthermore, it would welcome a statement by the EU from April 18 which confirms support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and calls to refrain from further exacerbation of the situation, as well as a statement by members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe from April 17 which calls on Russia to abide by its commitments toward peaceful settlement of differences.

The draft of the Riigikogu statement recalls the declaration of the NATO Bucharest summit from April 3, in which the leaders of the alliance member states confirm their readiness to extend to Georgia in the future an invitation to join NATO and support Georgia's wish to be given a Membership Action Plan (MAP).

Stressing the principle contained in the declaration that third countries have no say on matters concerning enlargement of the alliance, the Estonian parliament would invite to offer a MAP to Georgia in December this year.

Sven Mikser, chairman of the parliament's foreign affairs committee, said that if the statement is rapidly included in the parliament's agenda by the board, his panel will seek an extraordinary session to be convened at 5 p.m. on Wednesday for its adoption.

"We find that in the present situation there are grounds for the international community to offer a clear and strong message and for all the forces who wish these conflicts to be solved to act in resolute manner," Mikser said.

Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8810, sise@bns.ee