Tbilisi condemns occupied Tskhinvali-Moscow integration deal as “actual annexation”

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and de facto leader of Georgia’s breakaway Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia) Leonid Tibilov signed a so-called "Treaty on Alliance and Integration” in Moscow today.

The treaty envisaged the forming of a unified region of defence and security, freedom of movement between the Russian Federation and Georgia’s breakaway region, the integration of the customs bodies and social issues.

A statement released by Georgia’s Foreign Ministry shortly after the controversial document was signed, stated the "treaty” was condemned by the Georgian Foreign Ministry as an "actual annexation of occupied Tskhinvali region” by Russia.

Georgia’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili also expressed his "deepest concern” over the signature of the document and said this step of Russia posed a threat to Europe’s security.

Meanwhile, the European Union and the United States today openly stated they refused to recognise the deal, just like they refused to recognise the November 2014 "treaty” between Russia and Georgia’s other breakaway region, Abkhazia.

After today’s signing ceremony, Tskhinvali’s de facto leader Tibilov invited Putin to Tskhinvali to celebrate its "independence day” on September 20.

"This year South Ossetia will celebrate its 25th anniversary of the founding of South Ossetia on September 20. I would like to invite you, Vladimir Vladimirovich [Putin] to this celebration,” Tibilov said after signing the cooperation and integration treaty with Putin in Moscow, and added: ""We are waiting for you as it would be the best gift for our republic”.

Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia) and Abkhazia are not recognised as independent states by the global community. Georgia and the western society considered these two regions as Russian-occupied territories of Georgia.

Earlier, Georgia’s Foreign Ministry called on the global community to take "effective steps” to suppress Russia’s annexation policy.