EU Team Studies Results of BMO Suspension

An assessment team from the European Union will visit Georgia from February 23-27 to assess the results of the suspension of the OSCE Border Monitoring Operation (BMO) at the Russo-Georgian border.

The team, which is led by Peter Feith, Deputy Director-General of the European Union Council for European Security, Defense Policy and Operations is due to report the mission’s findings to the EU Council by March.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry reported the EU team will meet the Georgian President, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister and other officials. Talks with Russian Ambassador to Georgia Vladimir Chkhikvishvili, as well as with the Head of OSCE Mission to Georgia Roy Reeve, are also planned.

Russia vetoed the discussion of prolonging the OSCE Border Operation Mission at the Chechen, Ingush and Daghestani sections of the Russo-Georgian border late last December, triggering protests from officials in Tbilisi. Now the Georgian side urges for a replacement of the OSCE border monitors with other international observers.