15 countries release joint statement condemning ‘presidential elections’ in Russia-occupied Abkhazia
Poland was the initiator of the statement the 15 states have released today. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Fifteen states have released a joint statement condemning the ‘presidential elections’ Georgia’s Russia-occupied Abkhazia region held yesterday.
The countries have called on Russia to withdraw its recognition of the ‘independence’ of Russia-occupied Tskhinvali and Abkhazia regions of Georgia.
Poland was the initiator of the statement the 15 states have released today.
The United States, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Estonia, Ireland, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Ukraine, Finland and the Czech Republic are the signatories to the statement.
The countries also condemned the ‘parliamentary elections’ held on June 9, 2019 in the Russia-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.
“We reiterate full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders,” the statement reads.
We call on Russia to fulfill the commitments of 2008 Ceasefire Agreement including the return of its troops on the pre-conflict positions, ensure free access to humanitarian aid in the regions and withdraw the recognition of independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions,” the 15 countries state.
Yesterday, Georgian Foreign Ministry also released a statement stating “the so-called ‘presidential elections’ are yet another futile attempt to legalise ethnic cleansing, ongoing illegal occupation and factual annexation in the region of Abkhazia.”
The German Embassy to Georgia told Georgian TV channel Imedi TV that Germany does not recognize the Abkhaz ‘elections’ and noted that Germany did not send observers there.
The comment was made in response to two German officials independently going to Abkhazia to observe the ‘presidential elections’. The Embassy stated that the two politicians – Gunnar Lindemann and Stefan Keuter - had not been sent by the German government and they went there of their own accord.
Georgian Foreign Ministry official Vladimir Konstantinidi stated the two German politicians that went to Abkhazia to observe the ‘parliamentary elections’ are ‘influenced by Russia.’
He said Russia financed their visit to the occupied region of Abkhazia adding they were not authorized to visit Abkhazia by the state bodies they represent.
President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili condemned the so-called 'presidential elections' in the Russian-occupied region of Abkhazia in a statement on Monday, stating the Georgian government was joined by its international partners in not accepting the vote.
“The so-called ‘presidential elections’ are yet another futile attempt to legalise ethnic cleansing, ongoing illegal occupation and factual annexation in the region of Abkhazia”, Georgian Foreign Ministry stated.
The new President of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda said that his country “consistently supports” sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and condemns resumption of “borderisation” process on occupied territories. Gitanas Nausėda made remarks during his meeting with the Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, who paid a visit to Vilnius on August 22.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze said the Russian occupation is “the most harmful challenge” for Georgia, therefore, this issue should unite every Georgian citizen, despite their political preferences. Mamuka Bakhtadze responded to journalists’ questions in the Georgian Black Seaside town of Batumi on August 21.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry is concerned by reports that the locals of the village of Akhalubani, in Gori Municipality, have been kidnapped near occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) yesterday. It, therefore, calls on the international community to take “effective measures to stop illegal activities of the occupation forces”.
The OSCE Permanent Council has made a statement on recent developments in the occupied regions of Georgia on behalf of 15 countries. The United States Mission to OSCE, which "fully subscribes to the joint statement made by the Group of Friends of Georgia", released a separate statement as well in its "national capacity".
The Georgian Foreign Ministry said today’s second round of so-called presidential elections in the Russian occupied region of Abkhazia is “illegal” and “illegitimate”. Opposition leader Alkhas Kvitsinia is running against incumbent “president” Raul Khajimba in the second round of elections.
De facto incumbent President of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region Raul Khajimba has won the so-called presidential run-off, receiving 47.38 per cent of the vote, held in the region yesterday. In the first round of the so-called elections held on August 25, 2019 Khajimba received 24.83 per cent of the vote.