CoE issues decision on Russia-Georgia conflict, supports Georgia’s territorial integrity
In the decision, the 46 member states welcomed the results of CoE’s “historic summit” in Reykjavik this year, where the Council called on Russia to completely withdraw its troops from the territory of Georgia. Photo: Euractiv
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The Council of Europe meeting of the Ministers' Deputies on Tuesday adopted its decision on 'the Council of Europe and the conflict in Georgia', supporting Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, “clearly calling on” Russia to fulfil its international obligations and completely withdraw its forces from the country’s territory.
The CoE document urges Russia to ensure the protection of human rights and basic freedoms in Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions, the Foreign Ministry said.
In the decision, the 46 member states welcomed the results of CoE’s “historic summit” in Reykjavik this year, where the Council called on Russia to completely withdraw its troops from the territory of Georgia.
The judgments of international courts, including the decision of the European Court of Human Rights of January 2021, where Georgia won the 2008 war case against Russia, and the International Court of Human Rights judgement, which ordered the Russian Government to pay up to €130 million for the benefit of 24,000 Georgian citizens affected during the war, were also highlighted in the document.
The CoE also condemned the humanitarian and human rights situation in the occupied territories of Georgia.
Archil Talakvadze, the Georgian Parliament Vice Speaker, on Tuesday said an amendment had been made to the draft resolution of the Council of Europe’s upcoming summit in Reykjavik, calling for Russia to withdraw its troops from the Georgian territory.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Marija Pejčinović Burić, the Council of Europe’s Secretary General, on Saturday discussed the existing cooperation, as well as the significance of the CoE’s support to Georgia.
The Georgian Justice Ministry on Friday highlighted “another historic victory” of the country against Russia in a European Court of Human Rights case related to the 2008 war between the two states, after the ECHR ordered the Russian Government to pay up to €130 million for the benefit of 24,000 Georgian citizens affected during the war.
Georgia has won the 2008 war case against Russia in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). The court released its judgement earlier today which says that Russia violated several articles of the European Convention on Human rights during the conflict and carried out ethnic cleansing of Georgians. The court said that Russia is carrying out an effective control of Georgia’s Tskhinvali and Abkhazia regions and is responsible for the violation of human rights of Georgian citizens.
The Council of Europe’s “unwavering commitment” to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, as well as the Council’s support to the country’s European path, was reviewed on Wednesday by Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Lasha Darsalia and Marija Pejčinović Burić, the CoE Secretary General.
A European Parliament report adopted on Wednesday highlighted the need for “stronger and more ambitious, credible, strategic, tangible and unified” European Union action to address frozen conflicts across the word, ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine and the consequences of the Russia-Georgia 2008 war.
Bjørn Berge, the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, and Lasha Darsalia, the First Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia, on Thursday launched the CoE’s fourth Action Plan for Georgia, which aims to support the country’s efforts to meet its obligations as the Council member through further promotion of European standards and values.