GEORGIAN BULLETIN

1. GEORGIANBULLETIN Monthly Issue JUNE 2011 Embassy of Georgia to the Kingdom of Belgium and Grand Duchy of LuxembourgMission of Georgia to the European Union www.belgium.mfa.gov.ge • The Resolution adopted at the 65th Session of the UN General Assembly • The President of Georgia attended European People's Party Summit in Brussels • The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the EU-Russia Summit with the majority of votes • Bill on Neutral Travel Documents Passed with Final Reading Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia on the Resolution adopted at the 65th Session of the UN General Assembly on the 'Status of Internally Displaced Persons and Refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia and the Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia, Georgia‘ On the 29th of June, 2011, during the 65th Session, the UN General Assembly adopted the Resolution on the "Status of Internally Displaced Persons and Refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia and the Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia, Georgia." The initial resolution was adopted by the General Assembly in 2008 and since then the latter has been annually confirming the necessity of voluntary, dignified and safe return of IDPs and refugees to their homes. The Resolution also emphasizes the protection and respect of the property rights of the IDPs and refugees. At the same time, the Resolution condemns the demographic changes in the occupied regions introduced via forceful means, and calls on the participants of the Geneva Negotiations to activate their efforts for ensuring the return of the IDPs and refugees to their homes. It is important that the Resolution obligates the UN Secretary General to present to the General Assembly an annual report on the existing situation related to the IDPs and refuges. The next relevant report on the IDPs will be published in 2012. Moreover, the Resolution underlines the urgent necessity of an unhampered humanitarian activity in the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions. Mentioned provision obtains special importance in the light of the continued efforts of the Russian Federation and its proxy regimes to block the Humanitarian Missions and International Organizations from entering the occupied territories. The Resolution presented by Georgia was backed by 57 nations and only 13 nations voted against. It is noteworthy that, in comparison with 2010, the number of supporters of the Resolution has increased by seven nations and the number of opponents has decreased by four. The list of supporters from the previous year has been expanded by Antigua and Barbuda, Costa Rica, Guinea Bissau, Maldives, Republic of Congo, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, and Vanuatu. The following states were removed from the list of opponents of the Resolution: Nauru, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Zimbabwe. AGENDA 30/06/11The Resolution adopted at the 65th Session of the UN General Assembly on the 'Status of Internally Displaced Persons and Refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia and the Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia, Georgia‘ 23/06/11 The President of Georgia attended European People's Party Summit in Brussels 23/06/11 The President of Georgia met the Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule 20/06/11 4th meeting of the EU-Georgia Human Rights Dialogue was held in Brussels 21/06/11 The 4th meeting of the EU-Georgia Sub-committee on Justice, Freedom and Security (JFS) was held in Brussels 10/06/2011 The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the EU-Russia Summit with the majority of votes PAGE 1

2. GEORGIAN BULLETIN JUNE 2011 www.belgium.mfa.gov.ge This positive dynamics generated by the increased number of supporters of the Resolution proves the gorwing awareness among the international community in respect to the humanitarian disaster produced by the forceful demographic changes in the occupied regions of Georgia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia conveys its gratitude to all states, which supported the Resolution on the right of return of the IDPs and refugees. We also appreciate the position of all those nations, which, unlike the previous years, decided that voting against this Resolution would not be in compliance with international law. Regretfully, the Russian Federation had attempted again to politicize the issue. Not only Russia voted against the Resolution, but it also did its best to convince the international community that IDPs and refugees have no right to return to their homes. Such an attempt on behalf of the Russian Federation clearly indicates its attitude towards the obligations envisaged by international law. On the other hand, results of the vote of the General Assembly represent a vivid and a crystal clear response of the international community to the Russian undertakings. 30.06.2011 http://mfa.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=59&info_id=13937 The President of Georgia attended European People's Party Summit in Brussels The President of Georgia received a personal invitation of EPP President to attend European People's Party Summit in Brussels. Several meetings were held within the frames of the visit. Before the beginning of the Summit the tête-à-tête meeting was held between Mikheil Saakashvili and Wilfried Martens. The main issue of the talks was the support of Georgia's Euro integration. The sides discussed the issues of regional security and the ongoing reforms in Georgia. The importance of sharing experience of the positive reforms that had been carried out in Georgia with the Southern neighbors was noted. The sides also spoke about deepening cooperation of Eastern partnership. By the end of the meeting President Saakashvili officially invited EPP President to visit Georgia. After the Summit was over the President of Georgia held a tête-à-tête meeting with the Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk. The leaders exchanged their considerations regarding Eastern Partnership Summit that will be held in Warsaw. It was underlined that Poland will actively support the process of Georgia's Euro integration in the period of Polish EU chairmanship. EPP Summit is held annually before the beginning of EU Summit. The leaders of countries discuss the priority issues for this Summit.  EU  and non-EU heads of state and government and opposition leaders of the European People's Party (EPP), along with the Presidents of the European Council, European Commission and the European Parliament - Herman VAN ROMPUY, José Manuel BAROSSO and Jerzy BUZEK - have been invited to participate in the Summit of the Party. 23.06.2011 http://www.president.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=226&info_id=6617 The President of Georgia met the Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule The President of Georgia met The Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule. Sides discussed all the aspects related to the cooperation between Georgia and EU. One of the major topics of discussion was the beginning of negotiations on free trade issue. Georgian side is willing to start this process from the end of this year and it received the full support from Stefan Fule in this regards. The perspectives of starting negotiations between Georgia and EU from simple visa regime to a new stage - visa-free regime were discussed during the meeting as well.  24.06.2011 http://www.president.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=226&info_id=6624 4th meeting of the EU-Georgia Human Rights Dialogue was held in Brussels On June 20, 2011 the 4th meeting of the EU-Georgia Human Rights Dialogue (HRD) was held in Brussels. Mr. Sergi Kapanadze, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs headed the Georgian delegation, whereas the European side was led by Ms. Riina Kionka, Head of Human Rights Policy Guidelines Division of the Human Rights Department, European External Action Service (EEAS). Participants of the meeting included: from the Georgian side - representatives of the Parliament, National Security Council, relevant ministries and Public Defender's Office; from the EU side - representatives of EEAS, EU Delegation to Georgia and the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM). PAGE 2

3. GEORGIAN BULLETIN JUNE 2011 www.belgium.mfa.gov.ge During the 4th meeting held in the frames of the HRD, the Sides discussed the developments since the previous meeting (July 2010) on the issues of human rights protection up to this day. In particular, as foreseen by the agenda of the meeting, the sides discussed issues such as electoral framework, freedom of expression and information, freedom of association and assembly, labour rights, minority rights, rights of internally displaced persons, functioning of the justice system, human rights situation in Georgia's regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali. The meeting was held in an open and constructive atmosphere; the sides reiterated their readiness to continue cooperation in this format. 21.06.2011 http://mfa.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=30&info_id=13874 Information on the 4th meeting of the EU-Georgia Sub-committee on Justice, Freedom and Security The 4th meeting of the EU-Georgia Sub-committee on Justice, Freedom and Security (JFS) was held in Brussels on 21 June 2011. The Sub-committee was co-chaired by Ms. Tea Akhvlediani, Director of the European Integration Department of the Georgian Foreign Ministry, and Mr. John Kjaer, Head of the 'Eastern Partnership bilateral relations' Unit of the European External Action Service (EEAS). The Georgian delegation also included representatives of Georgian government departments responsible for JFS issues, and the EU delegation also included representatives of the EEAS, European Commission and EU Delegation to Georgia. Both parties discussed various issues in detail during the Sub-committee meeting, notably: legal and illegal migration, border management, document security, internally displaced persons, implementation of the Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements, the fight against drugs, terrorism, money laundering and corruption, and judicial co-operation as well as the EU's JFS-related assistance. The meeting proceeded in an open and constructive atmosphere. The EU-Georgia Sub-Committee on Justice, Freedom and Security is one of the forms of EU-Georgia co-operation held at an expert level. 22.06.2011 http://mfa.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=30&info_id=13880 The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the EU-Russia Summit with the majority of votes On June 9, 2011, the European Parliament adopted with the majority of votes a resolution on the EU-Russia Summit, which, among other topics, focuses on the issue of Georgia. In particular, it stresses that almost three years after the Russian military aggression perpetrated against Georgia and the subsequent ethnic cleansing, Russia still neglects to implement the August 12, 2008 agreement, and does not allow the EU Monitoring Mission to fulfill its functions in the occupied territories of Georgia. By virtue of the resolution, the European Parliament calls on Russia to fulfill all the commitments undertaken by the signing of the August 12, 2008 Six-Point Ceasefire Agreement, "to immediately withdraw its troops from the occupied Georgian territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia to the pre-conflict positions as well as to guarantee the access for the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) to these territories". Furthermore, the European Parliament calls on the High Representative and the Commission "to convince Russia to cease issuing passports to residents of the occupied provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.“ The aforementioned resolution represents yet another proof of the firm support rendered by the international community to Georgia's independence and territorial integrity. Furthermore, the Georgian side welcomes the reaffirmation by the European Parliament of the fact of Russia's occupation of the Georgian territories, as well as the conveyance a clear message to the Russian side to respect its internationally undertaken commitments. 10.06.2011 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+TA+20110609+SIT+DOC+WORD+V0//EN&language=EN http://belgium.mfa.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=223&info_id=11298 PAGE 3

4. GEORGIAN BULLETIN JUNE 2011 www.belgium.mfa.gov.ge New Electoral System Outlined The ruling National Movement party signed a deal with several other parties, including with Christian-Democratic Movement (CDM) and New Rights Party, setting up electoral system for the next parliamentary elections in 2012. The deal, rejected by six opposition parties, is based on proposals tabled by the ruling party on June 24; the final text of agreement, however, contains some amendments, including in regard to campaign funding scheme, and specifies some other provisions. According to the deal, relevant amendments to the election code should be made before October, 2011. 27.06.2011 Full text available at http://civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=23674 Bill on Neutral Travel Documents Passed with Final Reading The Parliament passed on July 1 with its third and final reading package of government-proposed legislative amendments envisaging issuance of neutral travel documents and identification cards for those “legally” residing in breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Amendments were made to eleven various laws regulating such areas like issuance of passports; state symbols; taxes; public registry fees; education; law on grants and entrepreneurship, as well as amendments to the law on occupied territories. With these amendments residents of the breakaway regions will be able to obtain such documents that will allow them to travel abroad and enjoy various social services and benefits available in the rest of Georgia. According to the approved proposal, “neutral documents” will be issued “until the full restoration of Georgia’s jurisdiction on the territories of Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region (former Autonomous District of South Ossetia).” 01.07.2011 Full text available at http://civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=23693 Georgia's Population 4.469 million - Geostat Georgia’s population increased by 0.7% in a year period and stands at 4,469,200 as of January 2011, not counting residents of breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia, according to figures released by the state statistics agency, Geostat, on June 30. 52.4% of population is female and 47.6% - male, with 53.1% living in cities and 46.9% - in rural areas. 13.8% of population is of age 65 and older. Geostat said share of children up to age of four increased “significantly” in recent few years, now making 6.1% of the population. Georgia’s birth rate remained more or less the same in 2000-2007 with number of newborns varying from about 47,000 to 49,000 annually. The birth rate increased in 2008 to 56,565 and to 63,377 in 2009, declining to 62,585 in 2010.The last time Georgia held census was in 2001 with population standing at 4,4 million, a million less than in a census held in 1989. 30.06.2011 http://civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=23687 PAGE 4