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To: H.E. Mrs. Nino Burjanadze
Chairmen of the Parliament of Georgia
Your Excellency,
In January 12, 2004 YOU have signed two documents as a fulfiller of duties of the President of Georgia: one of them is Act of President N 11, regarding signing of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and second one: Decree of the President N 5, regarding giving the authority to the permanent representative of Georgia in UN New York office on the signing of the FCTC. After these acts Georgia has signed the treaty in February 20, 2004. Yet the treaty is in Parliament of Georgia for ratification.
Convention on Tobacco Control is the world''s first ever global public health treaty. This was a commendable step towards protecting public health. However, Georgia must urgently ratify the FCTC before November 8th 2005 in order to participate in the first meeting of the FCTC Conference of the Parties (to be held Feb. 6-17, 2006, Geneva) where important international decisions regarding implementation of the FCTC and funding will be made.
The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) came into force on February 27, 2005. It aims to protect present and future generations from devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco through comprehensive tobacco advertising bans, price and tax increases, health warning labels on tobacco products and measures to protect people from second-hand smoke, among other control strategies. The international tobacco control community, having confidence in your integrity and commitment to public health, urges you to ratify the FCTC before 8th November. Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the world, claiming 5 million lives each year. It deaths 11 000 lives in GEORGIA per year. WHO predicts this figure will reach 10 million by 2030 with 70% of those deaths occurring in developing countries, like Georgia, if swift action is not taken.
To date 100 countries have ratified the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Our neighboring countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey have already ratified the FCTC.
The international community is counting on YOU and all members of Parliament of Georgia to ratify the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control before 8th November, and join the rest of the world make important decisions that will save precious lives in Georgia and around the globe.
Yours sincerely, |