Georgian MFA: occupied Abkhazia’s request for observer status “propaganda move”
Russia recognised the independence of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), the two Georgian regions occupied following the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia, on August 26, 2008. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Tweet 
Share
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia has responded to a request by Inal Ardzinba, the de-facto foreign minister of the Russian-occupied Abkhazia region, for the status of an observer in the United Nations for the region by calling it a “propaganda move doomed to collapse.”
Foreign ministry spokesperson Mari Narchemashvili said Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity were recognised by the international community within its internationally defined borders, adding “the international community does not recognise the so-called independence of the occupied territories of Georgia.”
Occupying regimes have repeatedly attempted similar propaganda moves to strengthen the image of an ‘independent’ entity, which usually fails,” Narchemashvili said.
Ardzinba, who met the Deputy Head of the UN Association of Russia, Alexei Borisov, during his “official” visit to Russia, used the opportunity to forward his request to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Granting the status would enable Abkhazia to participate in sessions and workings of the General Assembly. Currently, the State of Palestine and Holy See are the two observer states at the UN.
Russia recognised the independence of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), the two Georgian regions, following the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia, on August 26, 2008.
Only four other states - Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Syria - have since shared Russia’s position on the status of the territories, with the rest of the international community viewing them as Georgian regions occupied by Russia.
Italian political party Forza Italia released a statement on Wednesday in response to its member Matteo Dall'Osso’s initiating a press conference around “self-determination” of the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia, saying the event had been a “strictly personal initiative” of the MP and noting it “reflects neither the position of Italy nor of Forza Italia.”
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has begun considering a total of 59 individual complaints against Russia over the Russia-Georgia 2008 war, which left tens of thousands displaced from their homes in the now-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region, the Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) announced on Tuesday.
The Russian occupation forces carried out various types of unlawful activities, including illegal ‘borderisation’, throughout the month of January along the de-facto boundary line separating the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region from the government-controlled territory, Georgia’s State Security Service (SSS) has announced.
The State Security Service of Georgia has reported “illegal destructive activities” observed in the occupied territories near the central Georgian village of Mejvriskhevi, adjacent to the administrative boundary line separating the government-controlled territory from the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.
The 104th meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism took place yesterday in Ergneti, under the co-facilitation of the Ambassador Marek Szczygiel, Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), and Ambassador Viorel Mosanu, newly appointed Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus.
The International Criminal Court in Hague has issued arrest warrants against three de facto officials of Georgia's Russian-occupied breakaway Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region in a case of torture and ill-treatment of Georgian civilians during the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, the Georgian Justice Ministry announced earlier today.
Holding the so-called parliamentary elections in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region is a “futile attempt” to legitimise the illegal occupation of the Georgian territories, the Georgian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.
Carl Hartzell, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, said the EU did not recognise the legal framework of the so-called parliamentary elections that took place in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region on March 12.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan said on Monday it does not recognise the so-called parliamentary elections held in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region on Saturday, or the results of the ballot.
Russian occupation forces carried out illegal ‘borderisation’ activities near central Georgia’s Gori Municipality village of Zardiantkari, adjacent to the administrative boundary line separating the Government-controlled territory from the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region, on Sunday.
Russian occupation forces have been observed setting up installations near central Georgia’s Gori Municipality village of Khurvaleti, adjacent to the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region, Georgia’s State Security Service said on Sunday.
The State Security Service of Georgia on Friday said Russian occupation forces had illegally detained six Georgian citizens near the central Georgian village of Mejvriskhevi, adjacent to the administrative boundary line separating the Government-controlled territory from the occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.
Six Georgian citizens illegally detained on Friday by Russian occupation forces near the central Georgian village of Mejvriskhevi were released on Monday, the State Security Service of Georgia said.