NATO PA President Madeleine Moon has dedicated a significant part of her speech to Georgian citizen Data Vanishvili, whose home and lands are divided into two by occupation forces in the village of Khurvaleti, eastern Georgia.
Moon said that what she saw in the village last month was “very painful,” and she felt “obliged” to speak about the issue during the NATO PA session yesterday in London.
NATO PA President Madeleine Moon visited Georgia in September. Photo: NATO PA.
She noted that from time to time Russia erects new barbed-wire-fences on the Georgian territory, “totally ignoring” the rights and the needs of the local population.
Russia is dividing Georgia unlawfully. I spoke with a local farmer, who is trapped [in his own house] with his sick wife, and is unable to see family members or work in his own land located on the other side of the barbed wire. What i have seen was very emotional and I promised that I would speak about this disregard, not just international law, but the human beings and their rights,” Moon said.
During the session NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was directly asked by the Slovenian delegation on when Georgia is accepted into the alliance.
Stoltenberg answered that the “timeline is not defined,” but adding that NATO and Georgia have a “very strong partnership,” and the alliance supports the country’s efforts to modernise and strengthen its security and defence institutions.