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Peace, Security and Disarmament

Meeting of the Socialist International Peace, Security and Disarmament Committee, Tbilisi, 10 May 1998

10 May 1998

Security and stability in the South Caucasian states of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan were the main themes of the meeting of the SI Peace, Security and Disarmament Committee, SIPSAD, held on 10 May in Tbilisi and a number of representatives from the region gathered to highlight the situation. (Full list of participants) Organised in collaboration with our member party Citizen's Union of Georgia, CUG, and chaired by Committee Chair Günter Verheugen, Social Democratic Party of Germany, SPD, this was the first meeting of the Socialist International to be held in the Caucasus. Zurab Zhvania, President of the Parliament of Georgia, welcomed delegates and conveyed greetings from Eduard Shevardnadze, Chairman of the CUG. Günter Verheugen emphasised the importance of this Committee's meeting in the region as a way of showing solidarity with and support for the peoples of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan and expressing concern for a region of growing strategic importance which is at a crossroads politically, culturally, and economically. It was SIPSAD's role, he summised, to create a broader understanding of peace and security, away from diplomatic and military efforts to economic, social and democratic considerations.

In its resolution, presented to the Council in Oslo where it was adopted, the Committee acknowledged the successful implementation of political and economic reforms in Southern Caucasus and called on all parties to make every effort to achieve solutions to conflicts within and between individual states, including through procedures mediated with the UN and the OSCE. It also emphasised the need for peaceful cooperation within the region, especially in the fields of protection of human, civil and minority rights as well as economic development.

The next meeting of the Committee will focus on current disarmament issues and will be held in collaboration with the relevant bodies of the UN.

    LIST OF PARTICIPANTS


Chair of SIPSAD
Günter Verheugen
(Germany, SPD)

Secretary General of the Socialist International
Luis Ayala

ARMENIA
ARF Armenian Socialist Party
Vartan Hagopian
Kegham Manoukian
Arthur Khachatryan

AZERBAIJAN
Social Democratic Party of Azerbaijan, SDPA
Zardusht Alizade
Arzu Abdullayeva

FRANCE
Socialist Party, PS
Françoise Daucé

GEORGIA
Citizens' Union of Georgia, CUG
Zurab Zhvania
Michael Machavariani
Nino Burgjanadze
Giorgi Baramidze
Zurab Nogaideli
Kakha Cnitaia
Michael Saakashvili
Tamara Kiknadze
Tamara Ghughunishvili
Rostom Dolidze
Nani Chanishvili

GERMANY
Social Democratic Party of Germany, SPD
Dietrich Sperling
Gisela Nauk

GREECE
Panhellenic Socialist Movement, PASOK
Constantine Stephanou

SWEDEN
Swedish Social Democratic Party, SAP
Gunnar Stenarv

Office of SI President
Axel Queval

SI Secretariat
Gabriela Shepherd



Guests:

European Forum for Democracy and Solidarity
Conny Fredriksson
Dasa Sasic Silovic
Sonia Lokar

BULGARIA
Euro Left Party
Ivan Todorov

GEORGIA
Georgian Labour Party, GLP
Zurab Zhvania
Vazha Khidasheli
Ada Marshania

GEORGIA
Socialist Party of Georgia, SPG
Vakhtang Rcheulishvili
Nana Devdariani
Teimuraz Gamtsemlidze
George Mchedlishvili
George Gurgenidze

GEORGIA
Social Democratic Party
Gemal Kakhniashvili
Badri Nachkebia
Zaza Dodashvili
Zaza Shonia

GEORGIA
Agrarian Party
Zaur Ghlonti

RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Socialist Party of Russia
Yuri Deryabin

 



Other activities

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