Ruling party denounces wording on Russian-occupied regions in OSCE resolution

The ruling Georgian Dream party on Tuesday denounced the wording of a clause regarding the Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions of Georgia in a resolution adopted at an ongoing session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe this week, saying it mentioned the regions as parties in the conflict instead of Russia. 

The mention came in the resolution titled “The role of the OSCE in the current security architecture: a parliamentary perspective”, adopted at the 31st annual session of the Assembly.

“The text from the amendment [says] ‘Reconciliation of Tbilisi-controlled Georgia, Abkhazia and Ossetia is necessary’. In the clause we read that there are three parties to the conflict. Tbilisi-controlled Georgia[,] Abkhazia and Ossetia is a strange wording”, the party’s statement noted. 

“We would like to note that the wording added to the clause about Russia's occupation of Georgian territories is exactly what Russia has been trying to achieve in the Geneva Discussions for the last 16 years - to portray that Russia is not a party to the conflict”, it added in reference to the discussion platform created to address outcomes of the 2008 Russia-Georgia war.

The ruling party added the amendment was also implying that Russia was trying to resolve the conflict through different channels, which “is also disinformation and defends Russia's destructive behaviour within the framework of the Geneva format”. 

“All this is seriously disturbing, especially because the OSCE is the Co-Chair of the Geneva Discussions and the United States, whose representatives are the authors of the amendment, is a member of the Geneva format and a strategic partner of Georgia”, the GD release continued.

The statement stressed the Georgian Government's initiative to include the Russian occupation of the Georgian territories in another amendment, which reviewed Russia's harmful actions, had “unfortunately” been rejected and not taken into account in the resolution.

“Due to the infringement of the state interests of Georgia, the [Georgian] delegation will vote against the final resolution. We know that Georgia's vote is not decisive, because we are a small country, we have a very small delegation, and we will definitely be in the minority, but we need to openly say that the amendments are biased and based only on oral statements. There is no evidence to prove it. It is unfortunate that in this particular case the said Assembly is playing Russia's game”, it also said.

The ruling party added the Government’s “resolve” remained “unwavering”, and further pointed out that “we will continue to fight to protect our country”.