UN Security Council members call on Russia to withdraw military, security forces from Georgia “without delay”

The United Nations Security Council members Albania, France, Japan, Malta, the United Kingdom and the United States on Thursday called on Russia to withdraw its military and security forces from the occupied territories of Georgia “without delay”, in a statement for the 15th anniversary of the 2008 invasion of Georgia by Russia and the war between the two states.

The statement noted the invasion in August 2008 had marked a “more aggressive” trend in Russia's policy regarding its neighbouring countries and the European security architecture, and further pointed out that “as we are witnessing in Ukraine today, Russia has continued down this path”.

We are resolute in our reaffirmation of Georgia's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We deplore the continuous blatant violation of the territorial integrity of Georgia by the Russian Federation. We condemn Russia's brutal invasion, continued military presence and exercising of effective control over Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, which are integral parts of Georgia, and Russia's steps toward annexation of these Georgian regions”, the statement said.

The United Nations Security Council members also condemned Russia's “continuous” provocations, continued military drills in Georgian territory, territorial seas and airspace, and the “borderisation” process of installation of barbed wire fences and other artificial barriers along the lines marking the occupation of the two regions. 

They also denounced unlawful detentions and abductions of the local population from territories adjacent to the lines, interference with freedom of movement and persistent closures of so-called crossing points between the occupied regions and the rest of Georgia, discrimination against ethnic Georgians, prohibition on education in residents' native language, and deliberate damage to Georgian cultural heritage in the occupied regions.

We condemn the killings of Georgian citizens Davit Basharuli, Giga Otkhozoria and Archil Tatunashvili, whose perpetrators have not yet been brought to justice and held accountable”, the statement noted in reference to the civilians killed in the occupied territories over the years.

The Security Council members also expressed “deep” concern that no international human rights monitoring mechanism had been granted access to the regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions over the past several years. 

We therefore call for immediate unhindered access to be granted to the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights and other international and regional human rights mechanisms, as well as to the EU Monitoring Mission. We recall the urgent need for unhindered humanitarian access to all persons in need. We stress the necessity of ensuring the rights of internally displaced persons and refugees, expelled forcibly due to multiple waves of atrocities, and allowing for a safe, voluntary, dignified, and unhindered return to their homes”, the document said.

The statement called “once again” on Russia to “fully” implement its obligations and commitments under the EU-mediated ceasefire agreement that ended the 2008 war, withdraw its military and security forces from the territory of Georgia without delay and reverse its recognition of independence of the two regions.