Daily press briefing by Ministry Spokesperson
Daily press briefing - Visit by M. Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the Republic, to Moscow and Tbilisi
(Paris, 9 September 2008)
[Please note that only the original French text issued by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs may be considered official. ( http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr )]
On 8 September, M. Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the Republic, went, in his capacity as President of the Council of the European Union, to Moscow and Tbilisi, accompanied by Mr José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, Mr Javier Solana, High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, and M. Bernard Kouchner, French Minister of Foreign and European Affairs.
President Sarkozy and his Russian counterpart approved a document reaffirming the commitment of all the parties to implement all the provisions of the Medvedev-Sarkozy six-point plan of 12 August 2008.
This agreement provides for the establishment of measures on the withdrawal of the armed forces, international monitoring mechanisms and the holding of international discussions as provided for under point 6 of the plan of 12 August.
The Russian forces will have to withdraw within a week from the observation posts established on the line between Poti and Senaki. International observers, including at least 200 from the EU, will have to be positioned in the areas adjacent to South Ossetia and Abkhazia by 1 October 2008. The Russian troops will therefore have to pull out of these areas within 10 days. Finally, the Georgian armed forces will have to complete their return to their normal bases by 1 October 2008.
This agreement reaffirms that observers of the United Nations Observation Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) for Abkhazia and the OSCE for South Ossetia will remain in their areas of responsibility with the same deployment blueprint as before the onset of hostilities.
The European Union is the guarantor of the principle of non-use of force, provided for under point 1 of the 12 August agreement.
International discussions will commence on 15 October 2008 in Geneva on the arrangements for security and stability in the region, the issue of refugees and displaced persons and any other issue by mutual agreement between the parties.
In Tbilisi, the delegation led by President Sarkozy had a meeting with the Georgian President, Mr Saakashvili, and informed him of the result of the discussions held during the day in Moscow. President Sarkozy assured Georgia of the EU’s support and its determination to help it get back on its feet. President Sarkozy and Mr Barroso confirmed to Mr Saakashvili the EU’s desire to prepare an international conference to mobilize all the donors./.