Russia-Abkhazia treaty ‘high on the agenda’ at international discussions

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.

The ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership’ treaty has been openly criticised by Georgia and the international community, and will be first discussed the OSCE Ministerial Council on December 4-5 in Basel, Switzerland.

Earlier today, Georgia’s Foreign Minister Tamar Beruchashvili reconfirmed that Georgia had already requested holding of the UN Security Council over the issue.

"The consultations on holding the special UN Security Council have already launched with permanent and non-permanent members of the Council,” Beruchashvili told journalists today.

Today, Georgia’s First Deputy Foreign Minister David Dondua called on the international community at the OSCE Permanent Council meeting to condemn Russia's actions.

He expressed hope that this issue would be adequately assessed by international authorities at the meeting.

"Such action of the Russian Federation represents a further step taken towards the open and illegal annexation of Georgia's occupied region of Abkhazia and runs counter to the principles of international law,” Dondua said.

His statement also outlined the possible threats to Georgia and the region resulting from the signature of the so-called "treaty”.

The Georgian diplomat said this action of the Russian Federation would negatively affect the situation in Georgia's occupied territories and would have negative consequences in the wider context of European security as well. As well as involving the international community, Georgia also called on the Russian Federation to respect the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity and to change the adopted illegal decisions.

At the meeting of the Permanent Council, the European Union (EU) released a statement in support of Georgia, to which Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, San Marino, Ukraine and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia acceded, the press office of Georgia’s MFA said.

Furthermore, similar statements were also made by representatives of the United States, Canada and Norway, who all strictly condemned the signing the so-called "treaty" and called on Russia to observe the principles of international law, to fulfil commitments undertaken under the 12 August 2008 Ceasefire Agreement and to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders.

The Russia-Abhaz treaty deal will also be high on the agenda of the 30th round of Geneva International Discussions that will take place on December 9-10. The two-day talks involve representatives from Tbilisi, Moscow, Washington, Tskhinvali and Sokhumi, and are co-chaired by representatives from the EU, United Nations and the OSCE.

The talks mainly focus on issues of security and stability in the occupied regions as well as issues related to the safe and dignified return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees to the place of original residence.

The Russia-breakaway Abkhazia treaty signed on November 24, which will come into force on January 1, 2015, outlined creating a "common defence and security space”, "implementing a coordinated foreign policy” and "establishing common social and economic area".

The controversial ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership’ treaty the Russian Federation signed with Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia region this week is set to be heavily discussed at major international meetings.