Georgia condemns ratification of Russia-Tskhinvali military deal
Tweet 
Share
The Georgian Foreign Ministry strongly condemns the ratification of an illegal military deal between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) that envisages the creation of joint military troops between Russia and the occupied region.
The Ministry said the ratification of the unlawful military deal by Russia’s legislative body, the state Duma, yesterday is "yet another illegal step forward to the factual annexation of Georgian regions, which absolutely neglects the fundamental norms and principles of international law”.
With such provocative steps the Russian Federation tries to hinder the peaceful regulation of the conflict and progress at the Geneva International Discussions. Moreover, Russia’s steps damage the security architecture of Europe and aim at destabilizing the situation in the entire region”, the Ministry noted.
The Foreign Ministry said that through the integration of military forces, the Russian Federation continues to violate the Russia-Georgia Ceasefire Agreement signed on August 12, 2008. By signing the deal both sides agreed to:
- The non-use of force;
- A definitive halt to hostilities;
- The provision of free access to humanitarian assistance;
- Georgian military forces must withdraw to the places they are usually stationed;
- The Russian armed forces will pull back to the line where they were stationed before the start of hostilities. While awaiting the installment of an international mechanism, Russian peacekeeping forces will implement additional security measures;
- The launch of international discussions on security and stability modalities in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Calling upon the Russian Federation to fulfil its international obligations, the Georgian Foreign Ministry also asked the international community to take relevant measures against the illegal processes in Georgia’s Russian occupied regions.
The 84th meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) has been held in Ergneti, in the village within Georgia’s eastern occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.
Georgia is strongly condemning the ratification of an illegal military deal between Russia and Georgia’s western de facto Abkhazia region that envisages the creation of joint military troops between Russia and the occupied area.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law ratifying a so-called treaty on ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership' with Georgia's breakaway region Abkhazia today.
Lawmakers from the Russia's State Duma (the legislative body of the Russian Federation) have ratified a so-called treaty on ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership' with Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia region today.
The Russian Federation continues its military occupation and illegal militarisation of the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), thus destabilising the situation in the entire region and violating the fundamental rights of the local population, Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister David Dondua said.
The United States (US) condemns the Russian Federation’s ratification of an agreement with the de-facto leaders in Georgia’s breakaway region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) that envisages the creation of joint military troops between Russia and the occupied region.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry condemns the opening of customs points in Georgia’s Russian occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia). The Russian occupation forces have opened an illegal customs point in Akhalgori and created a specialized customs post in Sokhumi.
The OSCE Permanent Council and the Council of Europe’s (CoE) ministers’ deputies condemn Russia’s recent illegal steps in the occupied regions of Georgia - Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia). The parties agree that relevant measures need to be taken against Russia’s illegal steps in Georgia’s Russian occupied regions.
International pressure should be more strongly applied against Russia, says the Georgian President’s International Secretary Tengiz Pkhaladze. Pkhaladze also condemned the illegal military deal between Russia and Tskhinvali that envisages the creation of a joint military force.
The Georgian State Security Service wrote in its annual report released today that the presence of Russian forces in Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions is the "major threat” to the Georgian state.
The Georgian Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze believes that Russia’s revanchist foreign policy is the major challenge to regional security."Russia’s actions in the region, especially in the last decade, have triggered a powerful earthquake that has seriously shaken the credibility of the international system and threatened the very foundations of the European security architecture."
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze says that the humanitarian situation in the Georgian breakaway regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), which are now occupied by Russia, is equal to a humanitarian catastrophe.
An investigative story of the Washington Post reads that the Georgian occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region has become a hidden financial crossroads for Russia’s shadow empire around the Black Sea.