Council Joint Action of 21 May 2002 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 Georgia with the Ingush and Chechen Republics of the Russian Federation
Date: 2002-05-21
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Georgia, OSCE, USSR, fact-finding mission, frontier region

22.5.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 134/1

(Acts adopted pursuant to Title V of the Treaty on European Union)

COUNCIL JOINT ACTION

of 21 May 2002

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 Georgia with the
Ingush and Chechen Republics of the Russian Federation

(2002/373/CFSP)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union and in par-
ticular Article 14 thereof,

observer mission on the border of Georgia with the Ingush
Republic of the Russian Federation, as well as continued assis-
tance in relation to the border of Georgia with the Chechen
Republic of the Russian Federation.

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

On 20 July 2000, the Council adopted Joint Action
2000/456/CFSP 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 (1), which expired on 31 December 2000.

On 26 July 2001, the Council adopted Joint Action
view to ensuring
2001/568/CFSP (2) with a
the
continued support of
the European Union towards
stability in the Caucasus region.

From 28 May to 1 June 2001, General Sir Garry
Johnson, as an expert of the European Union, carried
out an assessment mission in which he concluded that
there would be a need for additional EU support, should
the OSCE mandate be extended to the Ingush sector.

On 13 December 2001, the OSCE decided to expand the
mandate of the OSCE mission to Georgia to observe and
report on movement across the border between Georgia
and the Ingush Republic of the Russian Federation,

For this purpose, the European Union shall provide finan-
2.
cial support to the OSCE's mission to Georgia, and in particular
its border monitoring operation, to cover expenditure related
to certain equipment.

Article 2

The OSCE mission to Georgia shall be responsible for the

1.
procurement and handing over of the equipment.

The Commission shall conclude a financing agreement
2.
with the OSCE on the use of the European Union financial
support, which shall take the form of a grant. The grant shall
cover
selected by the OSCE
according to the needs of the Georgian authorities at both the
Ingush and Chechen sections of the Georgian border.

the procurement of

items

HAS ADOPTED THIS JOINT ACTION:

The Commission, through its delegation in Tbilisi, shall
3.
liaise closely with the OSCE in order to monitor and evaluate
the effective delivery of the equipment to the Georgian border
guards and its further use.

Article 1

4.
In carrying out its activities, the Commission will coop-
erate, as appropriate, with local missions of Member States.

The European Union shall provide assistance to reinforce
1.
the capacity of the Georgian authorities to provide, through
their border guards, support and protection for the OSCE

(1) OJ L 183, 22.7.2000, p. 3.
(2) OJ L 202, 27.7.2001, p. 2.

5.
The Commission shall report on the implementation of
the Action to the Council under the authority of the Presi-
dency, assisted by the Secretary-General of the Council, High
Representative for the CFSP.

L 134/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

22.5.2002

Article 3

ment between the Commission and the OSCE has been
concluded.

The financial reference amount for the purposes referred

1.
to in Article 1 shall be EUR 100 000.

The expenditure financed by the amount stipulated in
2.
paragraph 1 shall be managed in accordance with the European
Community procedures and rules applicable to the budget.

Article 4

This Joint Action shall enter into force on the day of
its
adoption. It shall expire 12 months after the financing agree-

This Joint Action shall be published in the Official Journal.

Article 5

Done at Brussels, 21 May 2002.

For the Council

The President

R. DE MIGUEL