ID :
95308
Thu, 12/17/2009 - 02:51
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/95308
The shortlink copeid
European MPs say Georgian govt`s steps in democracy insufficient.
STRASBOURG, December 16 (Itar-Tass) - Insufficient efforts on the part
of the Georgian government in the field of democratic transformations put
up an obstacle in the way of Georgia's rapprochement with the European
Union, European MPs said Tuesday.
The situation in Georgia was one of the issues the European Parliament
discussed at a session Tuesday night.
Georgia should make a greater contribution to democratic reforms, the
Commissioner for External Relations and Neighborhood Policy, Benita
Ferrero-Waldner said.
This applies in an equal measure to mass media and civic freedoms, she
said.
As the MPs spoke of the situation in Georgia, they naturally could not
help mentioning the conflict that broke out in South Caucasus in the
summer of 2008.
Benita Ferrero-Waldner said in this connection that Georgia should
work out a more flexible position towards South Ossetia and Abkhazia, its
two former breakaway regions that have gained independence.
She said it might be reasonable for the government in Tbilisi to
establish contacts with the South Ossetian and Abkhazian political leaders.
Alexander Mirsky, a permanent member of the European Parliament's
foreign policy committee, told Itar-Tass that some political quarters in
Europe voice frequent enough doubts today regarding the possibility of a
trustworthy dialogue with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili's team
after the events of August 2008.
"The Georgian authorities spread misinformation about events in South
Ossetia from the very start and this could be plainly seen once you came
to the spots where those events had occurred," said Mirsky, who represents
Latvia.
He had an opportunity to visit the South Ossetian capital Tskhinval
immediately after the end of combat operations there and to witness the
aftermath of Georgian Armed Forces' punitive operation.
"At the same time, one can't reject assistance to the Georgian people
and the issue of rendering aid the EU has promised to ordinary citizens is
yet to be resolved," Mirsky said.
European MPs more than once addressed the problem of refugees that
arose out of armed conflicts of the early 1990's.
Cecilia Malstrom of Sweden said responsibility for improvement of the
refugees' status rests with the Georgian authorities that should step up
cooperation with international NGO's.
-0-kle
of the Georgian government in the field of democratic transformations put
up an obstacle in the way of Georgia's rapprochement with the European
Union, European MPs said Tuesday.
The situation in Georgia was one of the issues the European Parliament
discussed at a session Tuesday night.
Georgia should make a greater contribution to democratic reforms, the
Commissioner for External Relations and Neighborhood Policy, Benita
Ferrero-Waldner said.
This applies in an equal measure to mass media and civic freedoms, she
said.
As the MPs spoke of the situation in Georgia, they naturally could not
help mentioning the conflict that broke out in South Caucasus in the
summer of 2008.
Benita Ferrero-Waldner said in this connection that Georgia should
work out a more flexible position towards South Ossetia and Abkhazia, its
two former breakaway regions that have gained independence.
She said it might be reasonable for the government in Tbilisi to
establish contacts with the South Ossetian and Abkhazian political leaders.
Alexander Mirsky, a permanent member of the European Parliament's
foreign policy committee, told Itar-Tass that some political quarters in
Europe voice frequent enough doubts today regarding the possibility of a
trustworthy dialogue with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili's team
after the events of August 2008.
"The Georgian authorities spread misinformation about events in South
Ossetia from the very start and this could be plainly seen once you came
to the spots where those events had occurred," said Mirsky, who represents
Latvia.
He had an opportunity to visit the South Ossetian capital Tskhinval
immediately after the end of combat operations there and to witness the
aftermath of Georgian Armed Forces' punitive operation.
"At the same time, one can't reject assistance to the Georgian people
and the issue of rendering aid the EU has promised to ordinary citizens is
yet to be resolved," Mirsky said.
European MPs more than once addressed the problem of refugees that
arose out of armed conflicts of the early 1990's.
Cecilia Malstrom of Sweden said responsibility for improvement of the
refugees' status rests with the Georgian authorities that should step up
cooperation with international NGO's.
-0-kle
