UPDATED: OSCE adopts resolution on conflicts in Georgia

Updated: Tuesday, 11.48am

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE PA) in Tbilisi has adopted a resolution prepared by Georgia’s Parliament Speaker about the conflicts in the country.

Fifty-seven nations participating in the OSCE PA cast their vote this morning and the document won overwhelming support.

Through the document, the PA stressed that Russia continued to violate international law and the rights of Georgian citizens living in and near the occupied regions, and called on the OSCE to intensify its efforts to ensure peace in Georgia. 

President of the OSCE PA Ilkka Kanerva assessed the document as "very important”.

"Politically, this is a very valuable and important resolution. It involves the political will of 67 countries,” he said.

The President added the document would now be presented to OSCE in Vienna, Austria and Foreign Ministries of all OSCE member states. 

Also today the PA adopted the 2016 Tbilisi Declaration that addressed key issues in the fields of political affairs and security, economics, the environment, human rights, and humanitarian concerns. 

Earlier: Monday, 12.55pm

Georgian politicians are celebrating a monumental occasion where 56 of 57 nations participating in the OSCE PA, currently being held in Tbilisi, voted in favour of an important document prepared by Georgia about the conflicts in the country.

Russia was the only nation that did not vote in favour of the document.

The OSCE PA General Committee on Political Affairs and Security supported the 17-point draft resolution on "Conflict in Georgia” at its session in Tbilisi today. Out of 57 participating countries, 56 voted in favour of the resolution. The only country who went against the document and said it was "biased”, was Russia.

Three Russian politicians were the only people in the room to speak against the resolution. Photo by Georgian' Parliament's press office

The draft resolution stressed the importance of enhancing efforts for peaceful resolution of the conflicts in Georgia, which included the occupying of its two territories Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.

The resolution said despite international calls, Russia remained in breach of international law and disregarded the EU-mediated 12 August 2008 Ceasefire Agreement by continuing its policy of occupation and creeping annexation of Georgia’s Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions through so-called "integration treaties”.

Below is the full text of the draft resolution, which the Georgian side assessed as "clearer and better” than the previous one adopted in 2012.

Three members of a Russian delegation attending the OSCE PA in Tbilisi were the only parliamentarians who opposed the document. The trip said the document was "anti-Russian”.

"We do not support the draft resolution as it is politically motivated and does not express the will of Abkhazian and Ossetian people,” said Russian delegation member Iliya Kostunoff.

Georgia’s Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili said he was not surprised by Russia’s reaction.

"Fifty-six countries across the world tell one country to respect the standards that need to be respected,” Usupashvili said.

Photo by Georgian' Parliament's press office

The final vote on the resolution was scheduled for tomorrow’s session. It was expected that the OSCE PA would adopt the document.

Georgian majority Member of Parliament and Georgian representative at the OSCE Tedo Japaridze said the document outlined all the important issues for Georgia and now all efforts needed to be made to fulfil the norms stated in the resolution.