2001/759/CFSP: Council Joint Action of 29 October 2001 regarding a contribution from the European Union to the conflict settlement process in South Ossetia
Date: 2001-10-29
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU aid, OSCE, USSR, cooperation policy, financial aid, settlement of disputes

L 286/4

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

30.10.2001

COUNCIL JOINT ACTION

of 29 October 2001

regarding a contribution from the European Union to the conflict settlement process in South
Ossetia

(2001/759/CFSP)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

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

meetings of the JCC and the Experts' Group, so as to improve
the operationality of these bodies entrusted with the settlement
of the conflict.

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

On 26 February 2001, the Council declared its willing-
ness to play a more active political role in the Southern
Caucasus and to look for further ways to support efforts
to prevent and resolve conflicts in the region, in partic-
ular through strengthening the cooperation with the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE).

the auspices of

Under
the OSCE, a Joint Control
Commission (JCC) and an Experts' Group have been set
up as Conflict Settlement Mechanisms. The mandate of
the JCC is to deal with the current situation in the zone
of the Ossetian conflict, especially in the security field,
and that of the Experts' Group is aimed at preparing an
intermediate political status for South Ossetia.

In order to speed up negotiations on the settlement of
the conflict in South Ossetia, the OSCE and the parties
concerned (Georgia, South Ossetia, the Russian Federa-
tion and North Ossetia) intend to establish permanent
Secretariats to assist the activities of the JCC and of the
Experts' Group as the main instruments of the conflict
settlement process.

To this end, the OSCE has decided to set up a fund for
voluntary contributions to support the activities of the
Secretariat of the JCC as well as the activities of the
Experts' Group.

The European Union considers that a contribution to the
aims of that fund would support its own aims in the
region, as well as reinforce its role, together with that of
the OSCE,
in the settlement of the conflict and has,
therefore, agreed to make such a contribution,

Article 2

Disbursement of financial aid provided for under this
1.
Joint Action is conditional upon a JCC co-chairman resolution
on the setting up of Secretariats and on the holding of not less
than two JCC and two experts' group meetings within the next
twelve months. Furthermore, demonstrable efforts by both the
Georgian and South Ossetian sides to achieve real political
progress towards a lasting and peaceful settlement of the differ-
ences between them should be made.

The Council shall entrust

the Commission with the
2.
implementation of the Joint Action, with a view to meeting the
objective specified in Article 1(2). The Commission shall
conclude a financing agreement with the OSCE on the use of
the European Union contribution, which will take the form of
a grant. The grant shall cover in particular office equipment
and supplies, the refurbishment and the running costs of the
two offices for twelve months, as well as mission expenses of
the Georgian and the South Ossetian sides for meetings of the
JCC and the Experts' Group.

3.
The OSCE Mission in Georgia shall be responsible for
setting up the Secretariats and reimbursing mission expenses.

4.
The Commission, through its Delegation in Tbilisi, shall
liaise closely with the OSCE in order to monitor and evaluate
progress, so as to ensure the success of the action, as well as
the correct use of the grant for the purposes set out under
paragraph 2.

5.
The Commission shall report to the Council under the
authority of the Presidency, assisted by the Secretary General of
the Council, High Representative for the CFSP.

HAS ADOPTED THIS JOINT ACTION:

Article 1

The European Union shall contribute to strengthening the

1.
conflict settlement process in South Ossetia.

2.
For this purpose, the European Union shall provide a
contribution to the OSCE to establish permanent Secretariats in
order to assist the activities of the JCC, as well as to finance

Article 3

The financial reference amount for the purposes referred

1.
to in Article 1(2) shall be EUR 210 000.

The management of

2.
the expenditure financed by the
amount specified in paragraph 1 shall be managed in accord-
ance with the European Community procedures and rules
applicable to the general budget of the European Union.

30.10.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 286/5

Article 4

Article 5

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

1.
adoption.

It shall expire twelve months after the conclusion of the respec-
tive grant agreement between the Commission and the OSCE.

This Joint Action shall be reviewed ten months after the

2.
date of its adoption.

This Joint Action shall be published in the Official Journal.

Done at Luxembourg, 29 October 2001.

For the Council

The President

L. MICHEL