President of the Republic Tarja Halonen discussed OSCE monitoring with President Medvedev

Office of the President of the Republic of Finland Press Release 16 August 2008

President of the Republic Tarja Halonen spoke on the phone with President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia on Saturday, 16 August, about the situation in Georgia

President Halonen thanked President Medvedev for signing the ceasefire
agreement. President Halonen urged Russia to allow the OSCE to decide on an increase of the number of its military monitoring officers in Georgia from 10 to 100. OSCE officers could monitor the ceasefire and the passage of humanitarian relief.

President Halonen underlined the importance of Russia playing a role in allowing the distribution of humanitarian aid to the whole of South Ossetia.

The telephone conversation was conducted on President Halonen’s initiative.