Geneva, 18 February 2009

In the interests of supporting peace, stability and security, and with due attention to the provisions of the six-point agreement of 12 August, and subsequent implementing measures of 8 September, joint mechanisms with the relevant participants are required in order to prevent and, where necessary, respond to incidents that could cause suffering to civilian populations and/or risk deterioration of the situation.

The aim of the mechanisms is to ensure a timely and adequate response to the security situation, including incidents and their investigation, security of vital installations and infrastructure, responding to criminal activities, ensuring effective delivery of humanitarian aid, and any other issues which could affect stability and security, with a particular focus on incident prevention and response.

The mechanisms could provide recommendations as to how better to prevent future incidents, as well as providing a platform to verify the accuracy of information provided in the aftermath of incidents.

1. The mechanisms should involve the following participants:

• Representatives of structures with responsibility for security and public order in the relevant areas;
• Representatives of the international organisations (UN/OSCE and EU) in their areas of responsibility, and in accordance with their mandates.

2. The mechanisms will meet on a weekly basis, and may additionally be convened at short notice at the request of, or if there is an expressed concern on the part of, any of the participants. A meeting could be preceded by a contact over a "hotline" between the participants. Such a “hotline” should be operational on a 24-hour basis.

One mechanism will be convened under UN auspices in locations to be agreed among the participants.

The other mechanism will be convened in locations to be agreed among the participants.

3. The mechanisms could discuss issues including, but not necessarily limited to:

• Identification and regular review of potential risks, sharing of information and coordination of relevant measures;
• Free access for humanitarian aid;
• Follow-up to incidents that do occur, including an exchange of information on the circumstances of their occurrence, and the rapid sharing of information on the outcomes of investigations, as appropriate through agreed joint visits, into such incidents;
• Regular provision of information by international missions on the findings of their routine patrols.
  The participants in the mechanisms will agree to more detailed terms of reference, including on agreed joint visits and the formal recording of meetings. However, the lack of such detailed terms of reference shall not be used as a reason not to meet.

4. The mechanisms should be convened shortly after the Geneva discussions on 17/18 February 2009. The first meetings shall be organised on the basis of contacts provided to the co-Chairs of the Geneva discussions. In these initial meetings of the mechanisms, participants will agree on the practical organisation of work and on the arrangement of future sessions. The progress of the mechanisms shall be kept under review.