No referendum in Russian-occupied regions will have "any legal force” - Georgian FM

No referendum in Georgia's Russian-occupied regions will have" any legal force" under the conditions of the occupation, Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani said on Thursday in response to the information on the de facto authorities in the Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region planning to hold a referendum on joining the Russian Federation.

Zalkaliani underlined it was “unacceptable” to talk about any referendum when the territory of Georgia was occupied by Russia.

There is the decision of the European Court of Human Rights that the occupation is taking place in the occupied regions of Georgia. Therefore, no referendum will have any legal force in the conditions of the occupation, especially when hundreds of thousands of our citizens have been expelled from their homes,” the top Georgian diplomat said.

Zalkaliami noted Georgia was “committed” to the policy of engagement and to sharing benefits that come with Georgia's hoped-for accession to the European Union with citizens on the Russian-occupied territory.

We are consistent with our peace policy. We have said that we will not use force to restore our territorial integrity. This is a legal obligation for us, which is very clearly supported by the international community,” Zalkaliani concluded.

The de facto authorities of the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali declared on Wednesday they were set to hold a public referendum to join Russia.