European Union Monitoring Mission

European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) is an unarmed peacekeeping mission operated by the European Union in Georgia. EUMM was deployed in September 2008 following the EU-mediated Six Point Agreement which ended the August war. The mission started its monitoring activities on 1 October 2008 and ever since the deployment mission has been patrolling day and night, particularly in the areas adjacent to the Administrative Boundary Lines with Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The mission has around 200 monitors from various EU Member States working on the ground. EUMM's Headquarters are in Tbilisi and Field Offices in Gori, Mtskheta and Zugdidi.

EUMM’s priorities are to ensure that there is no return to hostilities, to facilitate the resumption of a safe and normal life for the local communities living in the areas adjacent to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and to build confidence among the conflict parties.

EUMM’s mandate is valid throughout all of Georgia. However, the de facto authorities of Abkhazia and South Ossetia have so far denied EUMM's access to the territories under their control. EUMM operates under the CSDP (Common Security and Defence Policy) of the EU.

EUMM (previously ECMM) in the former Yugoslavia

European Union had a monitoring mission in the former Yugoslavia. Former EUMM began operating in July 1991 under the name of ECMM (European Community Monitor Mission). The mission was financed by the European Commission and consisted of 75 field specialists. The mission was headquartered in Zagreb and its designated area included Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and the Republic of Macedonia. ECMM was renamed as European Union Monitoring Mission on 22 December 2000.[1]

In January 1992, the mission was briefly suspended following the helicopter downing that killed five of its observers.[2]

EUMM in Georgia

The EUMM patrols the South Ossetian administration boundary line in armored SUVs in February 2012.

Following the 2008 South Ossetia war in August 2008, the EU declared on 15 September 2008 to deploy a monitoring mission to Georgia. The main objectives of the mission is to fulfill the European commitment in re-establishing stability and normalisation following the crisis through an observer mission that consists of over 200 field specialists that conduct routine inspections within the stipulated zone of the mission that includes Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The mission is to observe the compliance with the fulfillment of the six-point-agreement established under the French brokered peace plan between Georgia and Russia on 12 August 2008. The mission started its monitoring activities on 1 October 2008, beginning with oversight of the withdrawal of Russian armed forces from the areas adjacent to South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Mandate of EUMM Georgia

The Mission’s mandate consists of stabilisation, normalisation and confidence building, as well as reporting to the EU in order to inform European policy-making and thus contribute to the future EU engagement in the region. Originally authorised for 12 months, the mandate has since been extended three times and is currently effective until 14 September 2012. EUMM is mandated to cover the whole territory of Georgia, within the country’s internationally recognised borders, but the de facto authorities in Abkhazia and South Ossetia have so far denied access to the territories under their control.

The Mission is working to prevent the renewal of an armed conflict, as well as to help make the areas adjacent to the Administrative Boundary Lines of the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia safe and secure for the local residents. The Mission wants to contribute to and create conditions whereby civilians can cross the Administrative Boundary Lines of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in both directions without fear and obstacles, thus reducing the detrimental effects of the dividing lines.[3] All 27 EU Member States contribute personnel, both women and men, from a variety of civilian, police and military backgrounds. The Mission has its Headquarters in Tbilisi and three Regional Field Offices in Mtskheta, Gori and Zugdidi.

Recent Developments

On 25 April 2012, the government of Abkhazia declared the head of the EUMM in Georgia, Andrzej Tyszkiewicz, persona non grata, accusing him of being biased towards the Georgian position in the conflict.[4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ European Union Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina - European Union Monitoring Mission. Retrieved 20 October 2006.
  2. ↑ "EC suspends peace monitoring/Observers killed in helicopter shot down over Yugoslavia". Houston Chronicle. Associated Press. 1992-01-08. p. 16. Retrieved 2012-01-09. |section= ignored (help)
  3. ↑ European Union Monitoring Mission to Georgia http://eumm.eu/en/about_eumm
  4. ↑ "Sokhumi Slams EUMM Head". Civil Georgia. 25 April 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2012.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, May 04, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.