Georgian FM calls on Russia to implement ceasefire agreement of August 12, withdraw forces from Georgia

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia calls on the Russian Federation to cease its illegal and provocative steps against Georgia, fulfil its obligations under the Ceasefire Agreement of August 12, 2008, and withdraw its forces from Georgian territory.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry has responded to the 12th anniversary of the Russia-Georgia war, once again calling on Russia to reverse its decision to recognise the so-called independence of Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia regions:

The Russian Federation intensifies the illegal militarisation of Georgia’s occupied regions and takes steps towards their de-facto annexation. It is particularly concerning that the fortification of the occupation line with barbed wire fences and different artificial barriers has become a daily practice, which has been accompanied with illegal detentions and kidnappings of the local population”, says the ministry.

In its official statement the ministry also mentioned that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia has been actively using hybrid warfare tools against Georgia.

It is worrisome that along with the Richard Lugar Centre for Public Health (Lugar Lab), the EU monitoring Mission has also become a target of Russia’s disinformation attacks. Furthermore, amid the UN General Secretary’s call for an immediate Global Ceasefire, the occupation forces have not refrained from shooting and wounding the peaceful local civilian, Zaza Gakheladze, who remains in illegal custody”, reads the statement.

The ministry says that violations of human rights and ethnic discrimination still remain a heavy humanitarian burden of the Russian illegal occupation. At the same time, the impunity of the cases of deprivation of lives of Davit Basharuli, Giga Otkhozoria and Archil Tatunashvili further increases the threat of ethnically driven violence.

The ministry appeals to the international community to direct its consolidated efforts to ensure the de-occupation of Georgia’s territories and return all IDPs and refugees to their homes, and take effective steps to facilitate peace and security in Georgia and Eastern Europe.