OSCE Parliamentary Assembly calls on Russia to de-occupy Georgia’s Abkhazia, Tskhinvali regions

An Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe resolution on security environment and stability in the OSCE region has called on Russia to de-occupy Georgia’s Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions, after the section was added to the document on the initiative of the Georgian Parliament’s OSCE Parliamentary Assembly delegation Head.

The addition, initiated by the delegation Head Nikoloz Samkharadze, also calls on Russia to “constructively engage” in talks held as part of the Geneva International Discussions that facilitate engagement over developments in the occupied regions, the Georgian Parliament’s press office said.

Samkharadze, who is participating in the work of the summer session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, noted the resolution had been approved by the Political Affairs and Security Committee of the Assembly, which relates to the security environment and stability in the OSCE region, Russia's aggression in Ukraine and other security challenges.

During the related Assembly session, Samkharadze pointed out Georgia had been occupied by the Russian Federation before the ongoing aggression on Ukraine started in February, and argued the fact made it “important” to reflect the issue of the country’s occupied regions in the resolution.