OSCE Group of Friends of Georgia rejects legitimacy of “parliamentary elections” in Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia region
The statement reiterates “full support” for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders. Photo: MFA of Georgia
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The Group of Friends of Georgia at the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe on Friday made a joint statement on not recognising the legitimacy of the so-called “parliamentary elections” held in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region on March 12.
The statement reiterates “full support” for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders.
We remain deeply concerned over the continued occupation of parts of the territory of Georgia by the Russian Federation, as well as by steps to integrate Abkhazia and South Ossetia into Russia's socio-economic sphere,” the statement says.
The release also urges Russia to fulfil its obligation under the European Union-mediated August 12, 2008 ceasefire agreement, and to withdraw its forces to positions prior to the outbreak of hostilities, in addition to providing free access to humanitarian assistance to the two regions.
We also call on Russia to reverse its recognition of the so-called independence of the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia,” the Group of Friends of Georgia notes.
The Group of Friends of Georgia in OSCE includes the following countries Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
The de facto authorities of Abkhazia have “once again” undermined the principle of the territorial integrity of Georgia, forcing this region further into isolation to the detriment of the local population, Leendert Verbeek, the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (CoE) said in response to the so-called “parliamentary elections” held in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region on Saturday.
Russia has once again proved its plans for “factual annexation” of the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions of Georgia, Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Chair of the Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said on Tuesday.
NATO does not recognise the legitimacy of the elections held on Saturday in the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia, Javier Colomina, The NATO Secretary General Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, said on Monday.
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.
Helga Maria Schmid, the Secretary General of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, on Thursday congratulated Georgia, Croatia and Slovenia on the 30th anniversary of their accession to the organisation.
Helga Maria Schmid, the Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, said the international body would keep its support for Georgia in a message congratulating Ilia Darchiashvili on his recent appointment as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.
Reforms and measures aimed at implementing anti-discrimination policy and an efficient work against gender-based crimes were discussed on Friday in a meeting between Alexander Darakhvelidze, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, and Matteo Mecacci, the Director of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.
The Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday released a statement on the 14th anniversary of the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia, calling on Russia to “cease illegal and provocative steps” against Georgia, respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, fulfil its obligations under the European Union-mediated ceasefire agreement by withdrawing its forces from the occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), and reverse its illegal decision on recognising their independence.
Foreign embassies and dignitaries on Sunday issued condemnations of Russia's ongoing occupation of Georgia's regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) and called on the Kremlin to fulfil its obligations under the European Union-mediated ceasefire agreement by withdrawing forces from the occupied regions on the 14th anniversary of the 2008 war between the two countries.