Mandate

Promoting a peaceful political settlement

According to the original mandate, adopted on 13 December 1992, the objective of the Mission was to promote negotiations between the conflicting parties in Georgia which are aimed at reaching a peaceful political settlement.

Expansion of the mandate

On 29 March 1994, the above objectives were expanded to include:

1) In relation to the Georgian-Ossetian conflict:

• facilitate the creation of a broader political framework, in which a lasting political settlement (...) can be achieved on the basis of CSCE principles and commitments;
• intensify discussions with all parties to the conflict, including through the organization of round tables, in order to identify and seek to eliminate sources of tension and extend political reconciliation throughout the area of conflict;
• make recommendations regarding the early convening of an international conference under CSCE auspices and with the participation of the United Nations, aimed at the resolution of the conflict, including the definition of the political status of Southern Ossetia;
• in pursuit of the monitoring role concerning the joint peacekeeping forces, establish appropriate forms of contact with the military commanders of the forces within the overall context of the CSCE negotiating efforts, gather information on the military situation, investigate violations of the existing cease-fire and call local commanders' attention to possible political implications of specific military actions;
• be actively involved in the reconvened Joint Control Commission in order to facilitate co-operation with and among the parties concerned;
• establish contact with local authorities and representatives of the population and maintain a visible CSCE presence throughout the area.

2) In relation to the conflict in Georgia/Abkhazia:

• ensure liaison with the United Nations operations in Abkhazia, in order to follow events closely and report regularly to the CSCE, inter alia with a view to facilitating the participation of the representative of the Chairman-in-Office, at the invitation of the United Nations, to the negotiations carried out under United Nations auspices.

3) In relation to Georgia as a whole:

• promote respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms and assist in the development of legal and democratic institutions and processes, including providing advice on the elaboration of a new constitution, the implementation of a legislation on citizenship and the establishment of an independent judiciary as well as monitoring elections;
• co-ordinate these activities with the CSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities and the ODIHR and co-operate with the Council of Europe, keeping also in touch with other international organizations active in Georgia in this field.

Border monitoring

From 15 December 1999 until 31 December 2004, the Mission's Border Monitoring Operation (BMO) was mandated to observe and report on movement across parts of the border between Georgia and the Russian Federation.

The BMO's area of operation initially covered only the border between Georgia and the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation, but was extended in subsequent years also to the Ingush (from December 2001) and Dagestan (from December 2002) segments of the Georgian-Russian border.

Expiry of mandate

The Mission to Georgia's mandate expired as of 31 December 2008 after the OSCE Permanent Council failed to reach consensus on its renewal in the wake of the hostilities in South Ossetia in August. The mandate of  20 unarmed military monitoring officers who were deployed to the Mission to Georgia by Permanent Council decision on 19 August 2008 expired on 30 June 2009.