COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION. 2889th EXTERNAL RELATIONS COUNCIL MEETING. Council Conclusions on Georgia

Brussels, 15 and 16 September 2008.

The Council adopted the following conclusions:

"1. The Council welcomes the agreement on implementing the plan of 12 August, which was recorded in Moscow and Tbilisi on 8 September as a result of mediation by the European Union. That agreement should lead initially to Russian forces being completely withdrawn from the zones adjacent to South Ossetia and Abkhazia to the lines held prior tothe outbreak of hostilities, within 10 days of the deployment in those zones of the international mechanisms, including at least 200 observers from the European Union, which should take place by 1 October 2008 at the latest.

2. With reference to the Council conclusions of 1 September, the Council calls on all parties to fully implement this agreement, as well as the agreement of 12 August, and to do so in an effective manner and in good faith within the time limits that have been set, including the withdrawal of all Russian forces and the return of Georgia's military forces to their bases.

3. The Council recalls that the European Union is ready to play a full role in the resolution of this crisis, including on the ground and in future international discussions and the preparations for them, and in supporting efforts towards a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict in Georgia. The Council recalls that a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict in Georgia must be based on full respect for the principles of independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity recognised by international law, the Final Act of the Helsinki Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and United Nations Security Council resolutions. In this context, the Council deplores any action that runs contrary to a solution based on these principles.

4. The Council supports the idea of an independent international inquiry into the conflict in Georgia.

5. The Council has decided to appoint Mr Pierre Morel as the Special Representative of theEuropean Union for the crisis in Georgia.

6. In accordance with the conclusions of the Extraordinary European Council meeting on 1 September, the Council has decided to send an independent civilian observer mission to Georgia, under the European Security and Defence Policy, which will be deployed by 1 October in accordance with the arrangements set out in the agreement of 8 September, in close coordination with the OSCE and the United Nations and in addition to the international mechanisms of UNOMIG and the OSCE. The Council notes with satisfaction the contributions announced by the Member States with a view to deploying at least 200 observers by 1 October.

7. The Council invites the Commission to actively and swiftly prepare for the donors' conference to help with the reconstruction and recovery of the Georgian economy and with the return of displaced persons, and to hold it next month in Brussels in the light of an overall assessment of needs. The Council has taken note of the Commission proposal to mobilise financial aid for Georgia which could be of the order of EUR 500 million for the period 2008-2010 and which must be consistent with the financial perspective. The Council also invites the Member States to prepare a significant contribution for the conference in terms of financial support. It welcomes the Commission's commitment regarding the strengthening of the EU-Georgia relationship, in particular by expediting the preparatory work on the facilitation of visas and on readmission, as well as on free trade."

(www.europa.eu)