Gov’t pursuing “reasonable policy for restoring trust” - PM on Abkhazia War anniversary
In his message over the date, Garibashvili noted building a “peaceful, strong, developed state together with Abkhazians and Ossetians” was the “best prospect”. Photo: Government Administration
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday highlighted the Government’s “reasonable and peaceful policy” with regards to the Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions of the country and said the vision was “focused on restoring trust” between communities divided by conflicts in the territories, in his message for the 31st anniversary of the 1992-1993 war in the former.
In his message over the date, Garibashvili noted building a “peaceful, strong, developed state together with Abkhazians and Ossetians” was the “best prospect”.
Thirty-one years have passed since the beginning of one of the most tragic events in our history - the war in Abkhazia. The unjustifiable confrontation cost the lives of many of our citizens - soldiers and civilians - on both sides. Together with our entire public, I once again honour the vivid memory of each of them”, Garibashvili said.
The Government head stressed territorial conflicts and their consequences remained the “main challenge of our state and public”.
[T]he temporary occupation of our indigenous lands, the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people within their homeland, relations with Abkhazians and Ossetians still remain the main challenge of our state and public, which can only be responded to by unwavering protection of peace, restoration of trust, and overall development of the country”, he continued.
Garibashvili added building a “peaceful, strong, developed state together with Abkhazians and Ossetians” was a “common task for all of us”.
I strongly believe that the reasonable, peaceful policy focused on restoring trust that we [the Georgian Dream Government] have been pursuing since coming to power is consistently bringing us closer to this goal”, he concluded.
The Abkhazia war began on August 14, 1992 and lasted for 13 months and 13 days, ending with the loss of the capital of Abkhazia, Sokhumi, on September 27, 1993, to separatist forces backed by militants from the North Caucasus and the Russian troops stationed in the region.
The conflict saw the sides negotiate a ceasefire in September 1992 which was broken by the Abkhaz and Russian forces a month later. The ceasefire that ended the conflict was signed in December 1993.
In August 2008, following a five-day war between Russia and Georgia, the Russian Government recognised the independence of Abkhazia, with the Georgian Parliament declaring it a Russian-occupied region of the country two days later - a view shared by the international community.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and the members of his Government on Wednesday paid tribute to nine Georgian heroes who went missing during the 1992-93 armed conflict in Georgia’s Russia-occupied region of Abkhazia and whose remains had been transferred from the occupied region.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday hailed his Government's policy of reconciliation and confidence-building between communities affected by the conflict in the country’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region in remarks on Abkhazia Day.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, together with the members of the Government, on Wednesday paid tribute to eleven heroes, whose remains have been transferred from Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region, with the public funeral held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi.
Georgia’s policy focused on “peace, mutual respect and dialogue” will bring the country “closer to the day” when we continue to build a “united, strong, peaceful, democratic state” along with “Abkhaz and Ossetian brothers”, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Sunday in connection with the 30th anniversary of the Abkhazia War, which ended with the territory becoming a breakaway region of Georgia and leaving hundreds of thousands displaced.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday said the Government was pursuing development to “achieve the cherished goal of building a united and strong Georgia” together with compatriots in the Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions, in comments marking the 31st anniversary of the start of the 1990s armed conflict in the former.
Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday said the “pragmatic” policy of the Government served to restore the territorial integrity of the country, in comments over the 31st anniversary of the 1992-1993 war in the Russian-occupied Abkhazia region.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday said restoring the territorial integrity of the country was the “main national task” of the Government, in comments over the 31st anniversary of the 1992-1993 war in the Russian-occupied Abkhazia region.
The security, humanitarian and human rights situation in the Russian-occupied regions of Georgia was discussed on Wednesday in a meeting between Tea Akhvlediani, the Georgian State Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality, and Jesper Moller, UNICEF's newly appointed Representative in Georgia.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said if NATO membership was offered to Georgia in exchange for territory concession, the country’s answer would be “categorical refusal”.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Committee on Human Rights, on Wednesday said statements and actions incompatible with the principle of territorial integrity of Georgia were “categorically unacceptable and illegitimate”, after Dmitry Medvedev, the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia, on Tuesday said “the idea of joining Russia is still popular in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and it can be implemented if there is a good reason for it”.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said the statement of Dmitry Medvedev, the Deputy Chair of the Security Council of Russia, about Georgia’s occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) was a “continuation” of occupation and “another attempt” to violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said the Georgian Government was “successfully implementing” the policy of non-recognition of the country’s Russian-occupied territories by foreign countries, and noted “no statement can prevent us from doing so”.
Gia Volski, the Georgian Parliament’s Vice Speaker, on Thursday said there was “no formal deal” between Russia and Georgia’s Russian-occupied north-western region of Abkhazia following claims by the de facto President of the region of a “new agreement” with Moscow about the deployment of a Russian naval base in the coastal city of Ochamchire.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday highlighted the “necessity” of Georgia’s territorial integrity and unification in order to be a “perfect and strong state”.