OSCE Parliamentary Assembly praises Georgia’s democracy
By Salome Modebadze
Friday, May 10
During his official visit to Georgia, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Wolfgang Grossruck congratulated Georgia for its peaceful and democratic transition of power. Grossuck stressed that Georgia is one of the most well developed democratic countries in the post- Soviet space. Welcoming the peaceful transition of power through parliamentary elections Grossruck hopes that progress will continue.
Security, conflict regions, democracy were the main issues Georgian Parliamentary Chairman Davit Usupashvili discussed with OSCE delegates.
Usupashvili said he assured the OSCE guests that the new government is trying to make the activities of OSCE representations in Georgia more fruitful and intensive as well as improving relations with Russia.
Due to Russia’s resistance no permanent representation of the OSCE mission has been operating in Georgia for some years.
"This is why we have to cooperate using a different format, with more intensive contacts at every level of the OSCE. The Parliamentary Assembly is one of the strongest tools through which we are able to strengthen our position." the Parliamentary Chairman said stressing the importance of the meeting with the delegation.
Meeting with the State Minister for Reintegration Paata Zakareishvili, Wolfgang Grossruck said it is very important to solve conflicts in the Caucasus through peaceful measures. He said the Geneva negotiations will continue to ensure that discussions over stability and security in the region are carried out around the table, without confrontation.
Zhoao Suaresh, OSCE special representative to the South Caucasus, is also accompanying Grossruck. He said the peaceful transition of power in Georgia has given an example to other countries in the Caucasus and around the former Soviet Union. "Cohabitation between the President and a government that was selected by the people is a great example of democracy." Suaresh said.
Stressing that the Georgian-Russian conflict negotiations over the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia should continue under the format of Geneva Talks Suaresh stressed that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly "trusts in this dialogue." Minister Zakareishvili stressed that the OSCE has an important role to play in resolving the issue.
Discussions over the role of the OSCE in Georgia later moved to the business centre of Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. The OSCE delegation also had a closed door meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Maia Panjikidze.
As the official webpage of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly reports, the delegates started their week-long visit to the Caucasus in Azerbaijan and that after finishing their visit to Georgia they will continue on to Armenia. In all three countries the OSCE delegation will discuss development in the region, particularly focusing on democratic reforms and unresolved conflicts.
Deputy Secretary-General Tina Schoen, Secretary of the Portuguese Delegation Nuno Paixao and Secretary of the Austrian Delegation Lukas Mussi also travelled to Georgia with Grossruck and Suaresh.
