PM highlights “foundational” role of peace on anniversary of fall of capital of occupied Abkhazia
Garibashvili stressed his Government was “firmly following” the path of peaceful resolution of the conflict, and noted the future belonged to “unity, peace and prosperity of Abkhazians and Georgians". Photo: PM's press office
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday said peace was “the foundation upon which a united, strong and developed country should be built” together with the “Abkhazian and Ossetian brothers”, in comments marking the 30th anniversary of the fall of Sokhumi, the capital of the Russian-occupied north-western region of Abkhazia during the war in the region in 1993.
Garibashvili offered his condolences to the family members and relatives of those killed during the 1992-1993 conflict and called the fall of the city “one of the most dramatic moments” in the country’s modern history.
The war left a heavy mark on our country, ethnic cleansing made hundreds of thousands of people displaced in their own homeland [...] [and] tragically claimed the lives of many of our fellow citizens. De-occupation of the regions occupied by Russia and unification of the country continue to be the main challenge of our state and society”, the PM said.
Garibashvili stressed his Government was “firmly following” the path of peaceful resolution of the conflict, and noted the future belonged to “unity, peace and prosperity of Abkhazians and Georgians".
The armed conflict in Abkhazia began on August 14, 1992 following an entrance of Government forces of a newly independent Georgia into the region with the goal of defending a section of a strategically important railway in the region amid tensions between ethnic Abkhazians and Georgians, with the Government units confronted by Abkhaz paramilitary forces on contact.
The resulting year-long-conflict saw Russian material, tactical and operational support for Abkhaz forces, in addition to mercenary groups from the Caucasus republics of Russia also fighting against troops of the fledgling Georgian state.
The regional capital of Sokhumi fell after the Abkhaz side violated a ceasefire agreement between the sides on July 27, 1993 and launched an assault on the city on September 16, after the Georgian side had withdrawn most of its defences as per the agreement.
On September 27, the attacking troops captured and killed Zhiuli Shartava, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Abkhazia, as well as Sokhumi Mayor Guram Gabeskiria and 27 other Georgian officials of the executive body who had stayed in the offices of the regional Government in the city, with the event marking the fall of the capital.
Between 13,000 to 20,000 ethnic Georgians and approximately 3,000 Abkhaz have been reported killed during the conflict, which lasted for 13 months and 13 days. Over 250,000 Georgians fled the region and became internally displaced in the country, while more than 2,000 - including about 1,500 ethnic Georgians, up to 200 ethnic Abkhaz and about 100 ethnic Ossetians - were declared missing.
Today Georgia is commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Abkhazia War, which ended with the territory becoming a breakaway region of Georgia and leaving hundreds of thousands displaced.
The remains of 13 people who went missing during the 1992–93 armed conflict in Georgia’s Russia-occupied Abkhazia region have been identified and returned to their families. It was possible to identify the bodies of eight military servicemen and five civilians through the joint efforts of the Georgian State Ministry for Reconciliation and Civic Equality and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Twenty-eight years have passed since the armed conflict in Georgia’s Russia-occupied region of Abkhazia. The Abkhaz war lasted 13 months and 13 days and ended with the loss of the capital of Abkhazia, Sokhumi, on September 27, 1993, which was preceded by negotiations between Georgia and Abkhazia with the mediation of Russia. On July 27, 1993 the Sochi agreement was signed but Abkhaz forces violated the terms and opened fire while Georgian troops were withdrawing from the region.
Monuments of Zhiuli Shartava and Guram Gabeskiria, former officials who were killed by Abkhaz separatist groups in 1993, will be placed in Tbilisi, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze has stated earlier today.
Flags on state institutions across Georgia were on Wednesday lowered to half-mast to mark an anniversary of the fall of Sokhumi, the capital of the Russian-occupied north-western region of Abkhazia during the war in the region in 1993.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday said his country had demonstrated “great and unexpected progress for many” over the past 30 years despite “severe” security challenges, in comments on an anniversary of the 1993 fall of Sokhumi, the capital of the Russian-occupied north-western region of Abkhazia, during the war in the region.
Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday highlighted there was “no alternative to peace”, in comments marking the 30th anniversary of the fall of Sokhumi, the capital of the Russian-occupied north-western region of Abkhazia during the war in the region in 1993.
The top official visited the memorial with Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze and Government officials, the Government press office said.
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”.
The Georgian State Ministry for Reconciliation and Civic Equality on Friday said a meeting involving Georgian and Abkhaz participants for finding and determining the fate of missing individuals from the 1992-1993 armed conflict in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region was hosted in İstanbul.