Tbilisi says Moscow’s position on situation in occupied regions is “cynical”

Georgian Foreign Ministry has called the recent statements of the Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova on the situation in occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions “cynical”.

Zakharova said at the recent news briefing that “Abkhazia and South Ossetia, relying on Russia’s allied assistance, which guaranteed their security, are consolidating their statehood”.

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She also said that “while dealing with the remaining problems” both regions are “successfully developing their economy, social sphere, foreign trade and international relations”.

In general, over the past few years, both Abkhazia and South Ossetia, seriously affected by the Georgian aggression and economic blockade, have certainly established themselves as sovereign independent states”, Zakharova stated.

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She further noted that if the western partners “want to understand the real situation” in those regions,  they can simply visit them. 

I would like to tell everyone that, despite the large number of publications with true disinformation, you can and even should visit Abkhazia and South Ossetia, if you want to understand what is happening there”, she said.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova held a news briefing on September 12. Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry press office

Maria Zakharova voiced accusations against the west as well. 

She said the United States continues “to make unfounded accusations against Russia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia with remarkable persistence” and “instead of helping to ensure peace and security in the South Caucasus, they are actually doing the opposite and destabilising the region”. 

We can see how Georgia is being flooded with arms and drawn into military blocs, with Washington and Brussels justifying this with considerations of ‘stability’ of the country and the region and a mythical threat of the Russian occupation”, Zakharova stated. 

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Georgian Foreign Ministry official Vladimer Konstantinidi said in Zakharova’s response that Georgia’s EU and NATO integration is one of the key foreign and security policy priorities and “a value-based choice of the Georgian people to return to their European family”.

????????’s EU&Euro-Atlantic integration course is value-based choice of t/ ???????? people & is by no means directed against anyone – especially against our Abkhazian & Ossetia fellow citizens.Joining the EU and NATO is the guarantee of peace and development for ???????? https://t.co/Gx8rriLWIZ

— MFA of Georgia (@MFAgovge) September 13, 2019