OSCE Chair in Office Borg affirms continued support for ongoing conflict resolution efforts and emphasises crucial role of civil society in Georgia

OSCE Chair-in-Office, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta Ian Borg in Tbilisi, Georgia, 15 May 2024. (Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta) Photo details

TBILISI, 16 May 2024 - During his visit to Georgia, OSCE Chair-in-Office, Malta's Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade, Ian Borg, reaffirmed the OSCE's support for ongoing conflict resolution efforts and underlined the OSCE's strong history of engagement in Georgia.

In Tbilisi, Minister Borg held meetings with President Salome Zourabichvili, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ilia Darchiashvili, Speaker of Parliament Shalva Papuashvili and the Head of Georgia's delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. He also met civil society representatives and visited conflict-affected areas at a section of the administrative boundary line (ABL).

"At a time of multiple crises throughout the OSCE region, the need for increased engagement and co-operation has never been greater. That is why we are ready to strengthen our engagement in and with Georgia, across all three dimensions of security," stated Minister Borg. He underscored the OSCE's commitment to fostering dialogue, confidence-building, and reconciliation to address the consequences of conflict.

"As Chair, Malta intends to make the best use of the OSCE's instruments and draw on the Organization's extensive experience to give new impetus to established formats and strengthen channels of communication across the OSCE," stated Minister Borg.

"Our aspiration is not merely to manage the status quo, but to achieve tangible progress in our determined efforts to resolve conflicts and effectively address sources of instability - for the benefit of all affected women, men, children or elderly," he said.

The Chair-in-Office emphasised the indispensable role of the Geneva International Discussions (GID) and the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM), in mitigating the consequences of conflict for the affected populations and preventing escalation, highlighting the active efforts of the Chair's Special Representative for the South Caucasus, Ambassador Viorel Moșanu, and the OSCE team in this context.

During his visit to the ABL, Minister Borg assessed the humanitarian concerns and needs of the local community, while reaffirming the OSCE's strong co-operation with the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia to maintain stability on the ground.

Minister Borg met with members of Georgia's vibrant civil society, highlighting the crucial role their participation plays in strengthening democracy, and fostering a prosperous and secure future. He emphasized the OSCE's comprehensive commitments in this field, particularly on freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of the media. The Chair-in-Office underlined the importance of preventing violence against demonstrators and holding perpetrators accountable. Throughout his visit, Minister Borg acknowledged the significant contributions of Georgian civil society in defending fundamental rights and discussed ongoing developments with various stakeholders.