On the situation in Georgia

Meeting of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) at the level of Foreign Ministers (special Ministerial session, on the situation in Georgia)

(*) The following are excerpts from
the Foreign Minister’s statement at the meeting:

• I believe we agree in our broad assessment of the situation in and around Georgia. I add my support to the introductory remarks by the Secretary General. I agree with the call for unity. We need to use this meeting to agree on a clear signal not only to Russia, but also to other parties and the world at large.
• What is at stake is the validity and capacity of Europe’s ability to deal with differences, disputes and conflicting interests.
• We have witnessed a conflict on a scale not seen in Europe since the conflicts in the Western Balkans in the 1990s. Our message must be clear: All serious violations of international law and of international law at large must be condemned in the strongest terms.
• We need to send a clear signal to Russia about our view of Russia’s use of force. The principles of international law regarding the use of armed force have been beached. Russia has not followed up on the word of its leader – or on the agreements signed by him.
• It is a threat to the credibility of the conflict resolution mechanisms that Europe has promoted.
• Our message here must be firm and based on principle. The future of our relations with Russia will be affected by the way Russia addresses the outstanding issues, including a swift withdrawal of troops as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement.
• I believe we need to move forward with a firm basis on the very mechanisms that Europe has put in place for dealing with differences. We should give full support to the missions of the OSCE. We should actively support the humanitarian relief carried out by the UN, the Red Cross and all other humanitarian organisations.
• On our relations with Russia. Our message from this meeting must be clear. Norway believes that we must do everything we can to solidify European and Trans-Atlantic mechanisms for consultation, cooperation and problem solving. These mechanisms are part of our resolve.
• There cannot be business as usual in the current situation. But we should use the channels that we as an Alliance have been so instrumental in creating to get the message across.
• On our relations with Georgia: Georgia is one of our partners. It merits our support. We go along with the support measures indicated in the preparation for this meeting. On relations with NATO – we should stay with the decision taken at the Bucharest Summit, and make a first assessment of Georgia’s possible progress towards a MAP at our meeting in December.
• In this overall context, we could support the creation of a NATO–Georgia Commission.
• Such a mechanism would fall within that very European and Trans-Atlantic tradition of structural support and dialogue with our partners.