Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Recommendation 1869 (2009). The Humanitarian consequences of the war between Georgia and Russia: follow-up given to Resolution 1648 (2009)

1. The Parliamentary Assembly refers to its Resolution 1664 (2009) on the humanitarian consequences of the war between Georgia and Russia: follow-up given to Resolution 1648 (2009).

2. It believes that the Council of Europe has an important role to play in Georgia, including in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

3. Therefore the Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers take fully into account the recommendations contained in Recommendation 1857 (2009) on the humanitarian consequences of the war between Georgia and Russia, and in particular:

3.1. continue to liaise with the European Union, the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and other international actors;

3.2. provide full support to the United Nations in its efforts to broker a new mandate for the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG);

3.3. adopt an action plan, in particular with specific activities focused on the protection and promotion of human rights and international humanitarian standards in South Ossetia and Abkhazia and examine how the Council of Europe can be present in these two regions, either in its own right or as part of another international mission run by the United Nations or others;

3.4. provide full support and funding to the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights’ activities and programme in South Ossetia and Abkhazia;

3.5. ensure that the regular reporting requested by the Committee of Ministers to the Secretary General on the human rights situation in the areas affected by the conflict (requested at the 1048th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies on 11 and 12 February 2009), takes fully into account the humanitarian concerns, including those of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from both the recent and previous conflicts, in this reporting exercise. Furthermore, the reporting should cover all the areas affected by the conflict in Georgia, including the regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and also North Ossetia and the plight of all of the refugees and displaced persons in these areas;

3.6. take initiatives to build up dialogue and trust between all parties, in particular between the parties to the conflict and the international community;

3.7. support civil society initiatives, which are essential for empowerment of the people, especially young people, and the development of society, in order to ensure a strong human rights and humanitarian culture in the former conflict zones.

29 April 2009

(http://assembly.coe.int/Main.asp?link=/Documents/AdoptedText/ta09/EREC1869.htm)