OSCE group of friends of Georgia condemn Russian aggression, demand release of abducted doctor
OSCE group friends of Georgia say that they are concerned by current tension at the occupation lines and the closure of so-called crossing points by Russian-controlled occupation forces. Photo: Georgian Foreign Ministry press office.
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The group of friends of Georgia in the OSCE has delivered a joint statement to reaffirm their “firm support” for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, condemn the Russian aggression and demand the release of a well-known Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili who has been in illegal detention in Georgia’s Russian-controlled Tskhinvali region for about a month.
The statement which was presented during the OSCE Ministerial Council in Bratislava, was delivered on behalf of Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
11 years since the Russian military invasion of Georgia, we remain deeply concerned over the continued occupation of the territory of Georgia and underline the need for the peaceful resolution of the conflict based on full respect for the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, and international law,” reads the statement.
This statement is delivered on behalf of ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????:
— Lithuania MFA (@LithuaniaMFA) December 5, 2019
1⃣ We reaffirm our full support for #Georgia’s ???????? sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
Full statement here ???? https://t.co/q4JI6VX19N pic.twitter.com/wEfPKBOJfe
The signatories called upon Russia “to fulfill immediately” its clear obligations under the European Union-mediated 12 August 2008 ceasefire agreement, including the withdrawal of its forces to its positions prior to the outbreak of hostilities.
We are concerned by the intensified provocations by Russia and the regimes in Sokhumi and Tskhinvali, including the attempted expansion of the occupied area and the building of ‘posts’ by the so-called security forces of South Ossetia region close to Chorchana village on territory controlled by the Georgian Government.”
The countries say that they also remain concerned over the installation of barbed wire fences and other artificial barriers along the occupation line in the villages of Atotsi and Gugutiantkari, and lengthy closures of so-called crossing points in Georgia’s South Ossetia region.
???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? Group of Friends of ???????? #OSCE Appreciate t/strong support! @LinkeviciusL @edgarsrinkevics @simoncoveney @PolandMFA @MFABulgaria @VPrystaiko @Haavisto @BogdanAurescu @swedense @NorwayMFA @rpetrich @UrmasReinsalu @StateDept @Canada pic.twitter.com/QJIyYZW4y4
— MFA of Georgia (@MFAgovge) December 5, 2019
These actions have destabilized the situation on the ground and severely impacted the security, safety, well-being, and humanitarian conditions of people in conflict-affected areas. The recent death of Margo Martiashvili from Akhalgori district, who was deprived of the possibility to get prompt and adequate medical care, due to the closure of the so-called crossing points, is another tragic illustration of grave consequences of the continuing restrictions on the freedom of movement for the local population. We are gravely concerned by the detention of Georgian Dr Vazha Gaprindashvili in the region of South Ossetia and call for his immediate release.”
The statement has expressed a “deep concern” over the increased Russian military exercises in, and militarization of Georgia's Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions.
The Chair of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak has stated in Tbilisi that Slovakia, which took over the chairmanship of the OSCE this year, is firm in its support of Georgia’s efforts to deal with domestic and foreign challenges.
The Chair of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak, has visited the occupation line in Georgia yesterday before starting his official meetings in the capital of Tbilisi.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani spoke of the security and humanitarian situation in the two Russian-occupied Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) at the 26th OSCE Ministerial Council in Bratislava today.
Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova, three Eastern Partnership countries, have signed a joint statement on the creation of a format of the EU plus the three countries for sectoral integration in transport, energy and other fields and to have full access to four liberties of the EU - free movement of goods, services, capital and the labour force. The statement, which has been signed earlier today on the sidelines of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Bratislava, has been handed to a High Representative of the EU.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani met with the Chair of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak in Bratislava, Slovakia on the sidelines of the 26th OSCE Ministerial Council yesterday.
The Group of Friends of Georgia in the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has released a statement in which they call on Russia to reverse its recognition of the so-called independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and withdraw its forces to pre-conflict positions in Georgia.