Georgian foreign office highlights “serious threat to security architecture” on 15th anniversary of Russia’s 2008 aggression

The foreign office noted Russia was continuing to occupy Georgia’s indivisible regions of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) while ignoring the fundamental norms and principles of international law. Photo: MFA of Georgia

Agenda.ge, 07 Aug 2023 - 12:28, Tbilisi,Georgia

The Georgian foreign office on Monday highlighted a “serious threat to the security architecture” of the wider region and Europe posed by the 2008 intervention of Russia into Georgia, in comments over the 15th anniversary of the aggression that sparked that year’s war between the two countries.

“In August 2008, the first case of violation of the territorial integrity and borders of a sovereign country by Russia was carried out, which posed a serious threat to the security architecture of the region and Europe as a whole”, the statement said. 

The foreign office noted Russia was continuing to occupy Georgia’s indivisible regions of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) while ignoring the fundamental norms and principles of international law.

Russia is not complying with the EU-brokered ceasefire agreement of August 12, 2008, expanding its illegal control in the occupied regions, and various actions - including the construction of artificial barriers, restrictions on the free movement of the population affected by the conflict, illegal detentions and others - are dealing a blow to the already difficult security and humanitarian environment on the ground”, the statement noted.

The Ministry also stressed the process of the Kremlin creating a “common social and economic space” with the occupied territories and signing various so-called integration agreements and memoranda with them was “strengthening the effective control” of Russia on the ground and contributing to the isolation of the population living in the occupied territories, which it said had been separated as a result of the war both from the rest of Georgia and from the international community.

To this day, the occupying force hinders unrestricted access of international human rights protection organisations and deployment of international security mechanisms on the ground. Also, the EU Monitoring Mission is not allowed to enter the regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali, despite the mandate of the Mission”, the foreign office said.

The statement also said the Georgian Government continued to implement the policy of peaceful resolution of the Russian-Georgian conflict and was “eager” to ensure “deoccupation and peaceful development of the country” by using diplomatic and legal instruments and ensuring close cooperation with international partners.

“The Georgian Government is taking steps to ensure reconciliation and restoration of trust between societies divided by occupation lines and to build a common European future”, the statement noted.

The foreign office also extended its gratitude to the international community for the “unwavering and unconditional” support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and emphasised the contribution of international partners in the process of peaceful settlement of the conflict.

It called on Russia to “respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, fulfil its obligations to the European Union under the ceasefire agreement of August 12, 2008, and withdraw its forces from the territory of Georgia”, and offered condolences to the “families and relatives of the servicemembers and civilians who heroically died in the 2008 war”.