EU satellite centre to monitor Georgia rebel zones: official
(TBILISI) - The European Union plans to use satellites to monitor military activity in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Georgian regions that broke away with Russian backing, the head of an EU observer mission said Friday.
The decision to use satellite imagery was made after Russia and the rebel regions refused to grant EU monitors access to their territory, said Hansjorg Haber, the head of the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) in Georgia.
"This will in no way replace our access to these areas, which is absolutely necessary for us to fully implement our mandate," he told AFP on the sidelines of a press conference for visiting EU diplomats.
"At the same time, it's better than nothing. As a result, we will be able to document any major military movements or construction works."
The European Union Satellite Centre (EUSC), located in Torrejon de Ardoz near Madrid, is tasked with supporting EU decision-making by providing analysis of satellite imagery and collateral data.
It is one of the key institutions for the EU's Security and Defence policy, and the only one in the field of space.
About 225 EU monitors are in Georgia observing an EU-brokered ceasefire that ended a five day war between Georgia and Russia in August 2008 over South Ossetia.
Russian troops and tanks pour into Georgia to repel a Georgian military attempt to retake control of South Ossetia, which had received extensive Russian backing for years.
Days later, Russia recognised South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent, a move that has so far been followed by only Nicaragua and Venezuela.
Text and Picture Copyright 2009 AFP. All other Copyright 2009 EUbusiness Ltd. All rights reserved. This material is intended solely for personal use. Any other reproduction, publication or redistribution of this material without the written agreement of the copyright owner is strictly forbidden and any breach of copyright will be considered actionable.