Council Joint Action of 26 July 2001 regarding a contribution of the European Union towards reinforcing the capacity of the Georgian authorities to support and protect the OSCE Observer Mission on the border of the Republic of Georgia with the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation
Date: 2001-07-26
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Georgia, OSCE, USSR, fact-finding mission, frontier region

L 202/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

27.7.2001

COUNCIL JOINT ACTION

of 26 July 2001

regarding a contribution of the European Union towards reinforcing the capacity of the Georgian
authorities to support and protect the OSCE Observer Mission on the border of the Republic of
Georgia with the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation

(2001/568/CFSP)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union and in partic-
ular Article 14 thereof,

2.
For this purpose, the European Union shall as soon as
possible provide aid to the Government of Georgia in the form
of equipment which shall be transported to the Shatili border
post.

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

On 20 July 2000, the Council adopted Joint Action
2000/456/CFSP (1) regarding a contribution of the Euro-
pean Union towards reinforcing the capacity of
the
Georgian authorities to support and protect the OSCE
the Republic of
Observer Mission on the border of
Georgia with the Chechen Republic of
the Russian
Federation, which expired on 31 December 2000.

The Stockholm European Council reiterated its strong
concerns over the situation in Chechnya and stressed the
need for a political solution of the conflict as a matter of
urgency.

From 28 May to 1 June 2000, General Sir Garry
Johnson, as an Expert of the European Union, carried
out an up-to-date assessment mission on the spot, as a
result of which he concluded that there is a need for
further EU support
the Georgian Border
to permit
Guards to perform their duties effectively, in particular
protection of the OSCE Observer Mission.

Taking into account the above elements, it is of great
importance that the EU continues to provide assistance
for reinforcing the capacity of the Georgian authorities
to support and protect the OSCE Observation Mission
on the border of
the Republic of Georgia with the
Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation.

There is a need to implement this Joint Action rapidly.

The Commission has agreed to be entrusted with certain
this Joint
tasks necessary for the implementation of
Action,

Article 2

The Council shall entrust

1.
implementation of the objective specified in Article 1(2).

the Commission with the

2.
The Commission shall monitor and evaluate the effective
delivery of the equipment to the Georgian Border Guards and
its further use.

3.
In carrying out its activities, the Commission will coop-
erate, as appropriate, with local missions of Member States.

Article 3

The financial reference amount for the purposes referred

1.
to in Article 1 shall be EUR 45 000.

The management of

2.
the expenditure financed by the
amount specified in paragraph 1 shall be subject to the proced-
ures and rules of the Community applying to budget matters.
Procurement, transport and delivery of the equipment shall be
undertaken in accordance with the most appropriate proced-
ures in order to address the urgency of the action.

Article 4

This Joint Action shall enter into force on the day of its

1.
adoption. It shall expire on 31 March 2002.

2.
This Joint Action shall be reviewed by 30 November
2001, before which date the Commission shall report on the
implementation of
the
authority of the Presidency, assisted by the Secretary-General of
the Council, High Representative for the CFSP.

the action to the Council under

Article 5

HAS ADOPTED THIS JOINT ACTION:

This Joint Action shall be published in the Official Journal.

Article 1

Done at Brussels, 26 July 2001.

1.
The European Union shall provide assistance to reinforce
the capacity of the Georgian authorities to provide, through
their Border Guards, support and protection for the OSCE
Observer Mission on the border of Georgia with the Chechen
Republic of the Russian Federation.

For the Council

The President

L. MICHEL

(1) OJ L 183, 22.7.2000, p. 3.