EU Probe Investigates Causes of Russia-Georgia Conflict

Peter Cassata | December 02, 2008

On Tuesday, an official EU probe into the causes and progression of the Georgia conflict in August was launched. Deutsche Welle:

Heidi Tagliavini, former UN special representative to Georgia, will head the enquiry, which will consist of ten "recognized experts" handpicked to dissect the facts surrounding events leading to and during the war.

The team will draw on military, history, legal, and human rights expertise and has until July 31, 2009, to present its conclusions to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), EU nations, Georgia, and Russia.

With Russia and Georgia each accusing the other of provoking the conflict, information about the initial attacks remains murky. In a piece for the WSJ, Saakashvili insisted that Georgia acted out of self-defense and urged Europe not to take a soft line against Russia:

"If the international response is not firm, Moscow will make other moves to redraw the region's map by intimidation or force."

Troublingly, the probe depends on inspection of the conflict zones, which Russia has thus far not granted to EU ceasefire monitors:

The success of the EU fact-finding mission hinges on gaining access to both South Ossetia and Abkhazia, in which Russia has maintained a troop presence since fighting stopped.