OSCE Calls Georgians for Peace

The Netherlands  Foreign Minister,  Jaap  de Hoop  Scheffer,  in his  capacity  as  both  Chairman-in-Office  of the  OSCE  and Chairman  of  the Committee  of  Ministers of  the  Council of  Europe,  today  appealed  to the  Georgian  people to  remain  peaceful in  their  search for  a  solution to  the  current political  crisis.

“I  am  hopeful that  the current  demonstrations  will not  change  their peaceful  character  and I  call  on all  parties  in Georgia to  show  restraint and  to refrain  from violence  in  the current  situation”,  said Minister  de  Hoop Scheffer.

According to the OSCE press release reads that the  Chairman  of the  OSCE  and the  CoE’s  Committee of  Ministers  commended the  restraint  shown so  far  by demonstrators  as  well as by  police,  expressing the  hope  that the  declaration  of the  state  of emergency  would  not lead  to  an outbreak  of  violence.

Minister de  Hoop  Scheffer also  stressed  that the  way  out of  the  current crisis  is  a matter  to  be decided  solely  by the  Georgian  people.

“If  the  various actors  in  Georgia parties  can  decide on  an  shared solution,  and  such a  solution  would necessitate  new  elections, I  am  prepared as  Chairman  of the  OSCE  and the  Council  of Europe  to  offer  the active assistance  of  these organizations”,  said  the Netherlands  Foreign  Minister.