Discussions were held during an OSCE Permanent Council session regarding the seventeenth anniversary of the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, according to Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).
According to the MFA, Deputy Foreign Minister Lasha Darsalia addressed the session, speaking about the grave situation regarding security and human rights in Georgia’s occupied territories. He focused attention on the peaceful resolution of the conflict and Georgia’s peace policy, which is directed towards the country’s deoccupation on one hand, and towards restoring trust and reconciliation between populations divided as a result of the war on the other, The Caspian Post reports citing Georgian media.
Additionally, according to the Foreign Ministry, a statement supporting Georgia was made by the OSCE Group of Friends Supporting Georgia’s Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity (USA, Bulgaria, United Kingdom, Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, Iceland, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine, Finland, Sweden and the Czech Republic) at the Permanent Council session.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs further informed that the statement once again confirms the firm support of the OSCE Group of Friends Supporting Georgia’s Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.
“The statement notes that seventeen years after the 2008 war, Georgia’s Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions remain occupied by Russia, whilst the UN Charter and the OSCE Helsinki Final Act clearly confirm respect for sovereign rights, political independence and territorial integrity, and the inadmissibility of changing borders through the use of force.
The OSCE Group of Friends Supporting Georgia’s Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity calls on the Russian Federation to fully implement the obligations undertaken under the August 12, 2008, ceasefire agreement, withdraw its forces to positions held before the conflict began, and revoke its decision on recognising the so-called independence of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region.
The OSCE Group of Friends Supporting Georgia’s Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity condemns the military aggression carried out by Russia against Georgia in 2008 and expresses concern about Russia’s continued military presence on Georgian territory, the illegal actions of the occupation regime, and the difficult humanitarian and security environment existing on the ground.
The OSCE Group of Friends Supporting Georgia’s Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity expresses support for the Geneva International Discussions (GID) as the only format for implementing the ceasefire agreement and ensuring the peaceful resolution of the conflict. The significant role of the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM), which promotes stability on the ground, is emphasised.
The OSCE Group of Friends Supporting Georgia’s Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity urges the OSCE and the international community to actively engage with regard to occupied Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region to ensure a peaceful resolution to the Russia-Georgia conflict.
At the conclusion of the statement, the importance of the Ergneti and Gali Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms is emphasised, with their proper functioning according to established procedures being crucial for preventing escalation.
The OSCE Group of Friends Supporting Georgia’s Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity considers the unconditional resumption of the aforementioned mechanism’s work in Gali to be essential,” information released by Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reads.
