Georgia cutting diplomatic relations with Syria
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Georgia has started procedures to cut diplomatic relations with the Syrian Arab Republic, announces the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.
The decision came after Syria officially recognised the independence of occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions today.
Following an official statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Syria regarding the recognition of occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions, Georgia’s Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze wrote on his official Twitter channel that this was "blatant violation of international law".
Recognition of independence of historic regions of Georgia, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Osetia), by Russian manipulated Assad regime in Syria, is another blatant violation of Int Law by Assad and should be condemned by the int community
— Mikheil Janelidze (@JanelidzeMkh) May 29, 2018
The official statement of Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reads that "as a result of the manipulation from the Russian Federation, the Syrian regime made yet another illegal decision and in violation of the fundamental norms and principles of international law recognized the so-called independence of the indivisible regions of Georgia – Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia.”
"With this act the Assad regime declared its support for Russia’s military aggression against Georgia, the illegal occupation of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions and the ethnic cleansing that has been taking place for years,” underlines the official response from Tbilisi.
Considering the aforesaid, Georgia initiated the procedures to break off the diplomatic relations with the Syrian Arab Republic.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasises that "International Community firmly supports Georgia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and the policy of non-recognition towards its occupied territories.”
Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls upon the international community to give proper assessment to the illegal decision of the "Russian-manipulated Assad regime” and to take the relevant steps in response.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Syria has released an official statement regarding the recognition of occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions.
Georgia has strongly condemned the recent visit of Syrian lawmakers to the country’s western occupied Abkhazia region.
The United States Embassy in Georgia announced today that "the US does not recognise the results of an election conducted illegitimately in Georgian territory without the consent of the Government of Georgia, and condemns the decision to integrate the military forces of the breakaway region of South Ossetia with those of the Russian Federation”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Russian occupied region of Georgia – Abkhazia on the ninth anniversary of the Russian-Georgian war, Russian news agency РБК said.
Georgia has already started procedures to break off diplomatic relations with the Syrian Arab Republic. The decision came after Syria officially recognised the independence of the occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions.
Syria’s decision will not affect the broad international understanding that South Ossetia and Abkhazia are part of Georgia, reads a statement released by NATO Spokesperson Oana Lungescu.
"In terms of the news [as to] why Syria has now recognised Abkhazia and South Ossetia, this isn’t a complete surprise to us simply because Bashar al-Assad is propped up by the Russian regime”, the spokesperson of the US State Department Heather Nauert said during a press briefing on May 29.
The European Union and European countries and leaders have strongly condemned the recognition of Georgian occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) as independent republics by the Syrian government. The official statement of the EU reads that the decision of the Syrian regime violates international law and the principle of territorial integrity
The recognition of the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) as independent countries has been raised and condemned at today’s UN Security Council meeting and at the UN General Assembly.
"It is Japan’s consistent position that the peaceful resolution of the issue concerning Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia and Abkhazia in Georgia in line with the principles of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders is essential for peace and stability of the country and the entire South Caucasus region,” reads a press release published by Japan’s embassy to Georgia based in Tbilisi today.
The co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the monitoring of Georgia, Kerstin Lundgren (Sweden, ALDE) and Titus Corlatean (Romania, SOC), strongly condemned the recognition by the Syrian authorities of the Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Minister of Foreign Affairs David Zalkaliani has congratulated Georgian diplomats on the Day of Georgian Diplomacy which is being celebrated in Georgia today.
Syrian President Bashar Assad met with the de-facto president of Georgia’s Russia-occupied region of Abkhazia Aslan Bzhania, at which the former said ‘Syria has supported and will always support the Abkhaz people and their sovereignty.’