(25/11/03) Groenen tevreden over vredevolle machtsovername in Georgië

• 2003-11-24

De Europese Groenen vragen dat Europa na de vredevolle machtsovername zijn inspanningen verhoogt om de vrede en de democratie in de Kaukasus te versterken.

EU must meet its responsibilities in the Southern Caucasus:
Greens welcome peaceful transition in Georgia

Commenting today on the fall of the Shevardnadze regime in Georgia, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Co-President of the Green/EFA Group in the European Parliament, said:
"We welcome that the transition in Georgia has been non-violent. The Georgian people live in a region with a terrible history of civil wars and ethnic conflict. They have clearly had enough already and decided to oust Eduard Shevardnadze peacefully. We give our support to interim president Nino Burdzhanadze and Zurab Zhvania and we are confident that they will succeed in making Georgia a more democratic and stable country. Georgia now needs quick and free democratic elections to endorse the change of government."

Per Gahrton, Swedish MEP and election observer in Georgia, said:
"The European Union must finally live up to its responsibilities in this region. We welcome that the EU has nominated Heikki Talvitie as special representative for the Southern Caucasus. Now we need rapid action. We call upon the Council of the EU to move forward towards reviving peace processes in the region which have been dead-locked for more than ten years."