Georgia receives “unprecedented level of support” from Council of Europe

Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani (L) and CoE Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland meet in Strasbourg. Photo: MFA of Georgia
Agenda.ge, 20 Apr 2017 - 12:19, Tbilisi,Georgia

Georgia has received an unprecedented level of support from members of the Council of Europe (CoE) at a meeting of CoE Committee of Ministers Deputies, says the Georgian Foreign Ministry.

CoE Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland presented the 15th Consolidated Report on the Conflict in Georgia at the Committee meeting in Strasbourg yesterday.

The report discussed the ongoing occupation of Georgian regions and Russia’s steps towards annexation of Georgian territories.

"It is important that by means of this report the Council of Europe keeps informing the international community on ongoing developments in Georgia's occupied regions, including on the current difficult human rights situation in Georgia's occupied territories,” the Georgian Foreign Ministry said.

Jagland’s 15th report was unprecedented in terms of support pledged by various delegations for Georgia. Statements in support for Georgia were made in the name of the European Union. Delegations of 28 states individually condemned the illegal activities of Russia in Georgia. Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, Turkey, Ukraine Macedonia and San Marino aligned themselves with the statement made on behalf of the EU.

The delegations reaffirmed their unequivocal support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, and called upon Russia to comply with its international commitments, including those undertaken within the CoE.

The delegations underlined the importance of access of the international monitoring bodies to the occupied territories of Georgia. They called on Russia to facilitate and grant unrestricted access to the CoE bodies, as well as to the EU Monitoring Mission to the areas affected by the conflict in Georgia.

"The CoE member states positively appraised the Georgian government’s constructive approach to the peaceful resolution of the conflict emphasising that there is no alternative to such approach,” the Georgian Foreign Ministry said.

CoE member states support the practice of submitting the Secretary General's consolidated reports on Georgia in the future too. Only the Russian delegation called into question the effectiveness of such reports.

Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani attended yesterday’s discussions.