Georgian government: Russian Federation is obliged to respect the norms of international law

Everyone including Russian Federation, is obliged to respect the norms of international law and the principle of Georgia's territorial integrity, this is how Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaliani answered the statement by the representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry's expressing desire to improve relations with Georgia.

As David Zalkaliani said in a statement released today, Georgian government has made many constructive steps aimed at deescalation despite occupation of Georgian territories but ‘there has not been any progress’ in terms of regulating political relations with Russia.

„We still continue putting forward the peace initiatives that are supportive to politically regulate the conflict,” Zalkaliani said. 

In this regard he has mentioned the peace initiative Step Towards a Better Future launched in April which implies legislative changes for improving the humanitarian, social and economic conditions of the populations in Georgia’s Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia). 

The aim of the initiative is to improve cooperation across the occupation line in three major directions:

• Enhancing and simplifying trade along the boundary lines through creating new opportunities, including encouraging joint business initiatives
• Creating additional opportunities for quality education and simplifying access at every level of education both at home and abroad
• Simplifying access to the benefits and goods available to Georgia resulting from the country's development, including European integration, visa waiver, free trade rights, and others.