NATO urges Russia to withdraw forces from Georgia

Georgia will ask the United Nations (UN) to convene a Security Council meeting to discuss the 'Treaty on Alliance and Strategic Partnership' signed today between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and de-facto president of Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia are scheduled to meet in Russia’s Black Sea resort town Sochi today and sign an alliance treaty despite the document being condemned by Georgia and the international community.

Georgia’s Foreign Ministry believes the revised draft treaty on ‘Alliance and Integration’ between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia is a step forward to the annexation of Georgia’s territories.

De-facto Cabinet Ministers of Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia region have approved a bilateral treaty between Moscow and Sokhumi that outlined creating joint Russian and Abkhazian military forces.

A Kremlin proposed new treaty on ‘Alliance and Integration’ with Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia and Russia will be signed by the end of this year, Abkhazia’s de-facto leader Raul Khajimba announced.

The European Union (EU) believes the proposed 'Alliance and Integration' draft treaty between Russia and Georgia's breakaway region, the self-proclaimed Republic of Abkhazia, undermines the security and stability of the region.

Russia’s signature of a so-called treaty on ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership’ with Georgia's breakaway region Abkhazia is detrimental to ongoing efforts to stabilise the security situation in the region, the European Union (EU) says.

The United States (US) says it will not recognise the legitimacy of any treaty between Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia region and the Russian Federation.

The new agreement between Russia and breakaway Abkhazia reflects Russia's desire to annex part of Georgia, says Estonian Foreign Minister Keit Pentus-Rosimannus.

The ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership' treaty signed between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia is a challenge for Georgia and for European and Euro-Atlantic security, believes Georgia’s State Minister of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania has slammed the new alliance between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia region and expressed its firm support to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders.

Georgia’s close neighbour Ukraine is condemning the ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership’ treaty signed this week between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia.

NATO is calling on Russia to revoke its "Alliance and Strategic Partnership” treaty with Abkhazia, an occupied region of Georgia.

A Russian alliance treaty between Moscow and Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia is an obstacle to peacefully resolving the conflict, says German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman.

Georgia’s Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe Konstantine Korkelia is condemning Russia’s actions of aligning itself closer with Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia region, and his comments have been applauded by all but one Council of Europe member states.

Georgia’s Foreign Ministry is again publically condemning the signing of the so-called ‘treaty’ between Moscow and the Sokhumi occupation regime and called it "de-facto annexation” of its territory.

The Government of Portugal has slated the new alliance between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia region and expressed its firm support to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders.

Parliament of Austria is rejecting the new alliance between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia region and says it would continue to be a strong supporter of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia.

Forging and strengthening international contacts is the best force against the so-called ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership’ treaty signed between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia, says the Georgian Prime Minister’s special representative for relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze.

The condemned Russia-Abkhazia deal will take the limelight at the upcoming OSCE Ministerial Council and the Geneva International Discussions, Georgia’s Foreign Ministry said.

A Russian high official believes the process to normalise relations between Georgia and Russia is continuing as normal, despite Georgia and much of the international community condemning Russia’s deal with Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia region.

The Government of Japan has slated the new alliance between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia region.

The Congress of the Council of Europe has condemned the so-called ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership’ treaty between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia region.

The United States (US) House of Representatives has unanimously approved a document which strongly condemns Moscow's actions against its neighbours Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova.

De-facto leader of Georgia’s occupied Tskhinvali’s (South Ossetia) region, Leonid Tibilov, believes there is a possibility the breakaway region’s accession into Russia will be considered in the proposed integration treaty between Moscow and Tskhinvali.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would be happy to host a Georgian Government delegation if they visited his nation.

Lithuania deeply condemns the deal as Russia is continuing efforts to undermine Georgia’s sovereignty and independence. The Baltic state expressed its firm support to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders.

The de facto Foreign Minister of Georgia’s breakaway Tskhinvali region (also known as South Ossetia) has arrived in Moscow to sign a so-called "Agreement on State Border” with Russia.

Georgia’s Foreign Minister Tamar Beruchashvili is preparing to participate in a NATO ministerial in Antalya, Turkey on May 13 and 14.

Turkey will initiate enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation at the next NATO Summit in Warsaw in 2016.