Parliament Committee Chair: Russia should not have “illusion” international community will “ever accept” occupation of Georgia, Ukraine

Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chairman of the Committee on Human Rights of the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday said Russia should not have the “illusion” that the international community will “ever accept” its occupation of parts of Georgia and Ukraine.

Sarjveladze stressed a “clear stance” of the international community against Russia, over the necessity of de-occupation of the two occupied Georgian regions, was “valuable and important”, and pointed out Georgia would “never get used to the occupation” and that Ukraine held the same attitude over the occupation of its own regions by Russian forces.

Russia should not have the illusion that the international community, the civilised humanity, and the civilised world will ever accept the occupation of our countries [Georgia and Ukraine]. Therefore, it will always be on the agenda, there will always be a focus on it”, Sarjveladze said.

The Parliament official also made remarks on the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia, noting that Russia was the “aggressor” and the “occupier state” following the “provocation” organised by it in the run-up to the conflict.

The allegations [by a part of the domestic opposition] that the rhetoric of the [ruling] Georgian Dream [party] is that Georgia started the war [in 2008] is wrong. I have never said such a thing personally, nor do I remember such a thing from my colleagues”, Sarjveladze said.

What we are saying is that Georgia allowed itself to be dragged into a provocation planned by Russia - and unfortunately, it was a mistake at that time, although this does not mean that Russia's aggression is blamed on the Georgian side”, he concluded in his comments.

United Nations Security Council member and incoming member states on Monday released a joint statement that called on Russia to withdraw its military and security forces from the occupied regions of Georgia “without delay”.

• UN Security Council members call on Russia withdraw its military, security forces from territory of Georgia “without delay”

Security Council members France, Ireland, Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States and Albania, as well as incoming members Japan and Malta condemned Russia’s illegal 2008 invasion of Georgia and its continued military presence and exercise of control over integral parts of the country, and called on the Kremlin to fully implement its obligations and commitments under the ceasefire agreement that ended the conflict.