Estonian parliament adopts statement in support of Georgia
23.04.2008
TALLINN, Apr 23, BNS - The Estonian parliament in an extraordinary session on Wednesday adopted a statement in support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia.
The statement was endorsed by the 101-seat chamber with 63 votes for and no MPs voting against.
The Estonian parliament expresses its deep concern over the statement issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry last week with regard 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 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 it has taken 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 hails Georgia's peaceful steps toward solving of the conflicts and expresses its support for the peace plan published in March this year.
It also welcomes 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 statement recalls the declaration of the NATO Bucharest summit from April 3, in which the leaders of the alliance member states confirmed 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 invites to offer a MAP to Georgia already in December this year.
Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8810, sise@bns.ee
 
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