MP movement condemns Lukashenko’s visit to Russian-occupied Abkhazia
The members of the movement expressed their hope Belarusian authorities would not “cross a red line” in relations between the two states by joining Russia and four other countries in recognising independence of the Russian-occupied region against the position of the international community. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
Tweet 
Share
Popular Force, a public movement composed of former members of the ruling Georgian Dream party who exited the team in June, on Thursday condemned the “so-called visit” of Belarusian president Aleksandr Lukashenko to Georgia’s Russian-occupied region of Abkhazia on Wednesday, calling the move “extremely wrong and unfriendly”.
The members of the movement expressed their hope Belarusian authorities would not “cross a red line” in relations between the two states by joining Russia and four other countries in recognising independence of the Russian-occupied region against the position of the international community.
Our goal is to restore fraternal coexistence with Abkhazians, one of the necessary conditions of which is not to allow another armed conflict between Georgians and Abkhazians”, the statement said, adding the “future brotherly coexistence of Georgians and Abkhazians in the united Georgian state should be ensured through peaceful means”.
“No provocation, no matter where it comes from, can divert us from this approach and goal”, the lawmakers noted.
Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday “strongly” condemned Lukashenko’s visit to Abkhazia and his meeting with the representatives of the occupation regime.
Garibashvili said the step violated Georgia’s law on occupied territories and contradicted international law as well as bilateral relations between Georgia and Belarus.
Irakli Chikovani, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said the visit of Belarusian president Aleksandr Lukashenko to Georgia’s Russian-occupied region of Abkhazia on Wednesday had pushed relations with Belarus to a “red line”.
Foreign officials and diplomats on Wednesday strongly condemned the visit of Aleksandr Lukashenko, the president of Belarus, to Georgia's Russian-occupied region of Abkhazia and expressed their support for Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Ned Price, the United States state department spokesperson, on Wednesday said the US remained “steadfast” in its support for Georgia and for its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders and called on Russia to reverse its recognition of the occupied territories.
Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday “strongly” condemned Belarusian president, Aleksandr Lukashenko’s “visit” to Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region and his meeting with the representatives of the occupation regime in the region's capital city of Sokhumi.
Five more MPs of the ruling Georgian Dream party on Tuesday joined Popular Force, a public movement created by former ruling Georgian Dream party lawmakers who exited the team in June.