Ook tot Tbilisi was onze bijeenkomst over de Kaukasus al doorgedrongen. Het platform ontving net voor de bijeenkomst begon de volgende bijdrage van voorzitter Mark Mullen van de NGO Transparency International Georgia. Daarin doet hij een beroep op Nederlandse politici en NGO's zich in te zetten voor een geloofwaardige internationale waarnemersmacht aan de grens met Rusland, omdat Rusland de aanwezigheid van OVSE-waarnemers met een veto heeft stopgezet. Zie hier de integrale tekst van zijn email:

----- Original Message -----

From: "Mark M. Mullen" <mmm@transparency.ge>

To: <m.douma@wanadoo.nl>

Cc: <samsa@xs4all.nl>

Sent: Friday, February 25, 2005 9:40 AM

Subject: Meeting today

> To Marianne Douma,

>

> A friend mentioned the meeting that will be head today to discuss conflicts in the Caucasus. Although we are in Tbilisi and will not be able to participate I wanted to thank you for this initiative. Bringing Dutch political actors into the discussion of this region can only be helpful. The Dutch Embassy bilaterally and through European structures has played an extremely positive roll in Georgia's development.

>

> I wanted to put one thing on the table. Recently Russia has vetoed the continuation of OSCE border monitors along Georgia's volatile northern border with Russia. This is an aggressive and counterproductive act. The loss of an international presence along that border will greatly increase the already great amount of smuggling that goes on there and the risk of irresponsible acts buy the Russian military and by separatists supported by Russia within Georgia's territory.

>

> An EU border monitoring assessment team has recently been in Georgia and will report soon. Since Russia has a veto and has held the budget of the OSCE over the issue the OSCE monitors are now finished. In Georgia the worry is that the international presence will end with vague calls and pleges for commitments to train Georgian border guards. There is nothing wrong with training Georgian border guards but what is really needed is a credible international presence.

>

> For the movements across the border and the situation in the border area of Georgia, Transparency International Georgia would ask that relevant Dutch executive, legislative and non governmental actors support some form of international presence, preferably from Europe, in this area as quickly as possible.

>

> Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

>

> Mark Mullen

> Chair

> Transparency International Georgia