Russian-Abkhazian treaty discussed at OSCE Ministerial
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Monday, December 8
Georgia’s Foreign Minister Tamar Beruchashvili met United States (US) Secretary of State John Kerry and other high-ranking officials at the OSCE 21st Ministerial that took place December 4-5 in Switzerland. The main topic of the Foreign Minister was the Russian-Abkhazian treaty on “Alliance and Partnership”, which was assessed as an attempt by Russia to annex Abkhazia.
Commenting on the meeting with Kerry, Beruchashvili said the American official was very supportive of Georgia and he offered some very strong messages.
“Mr. Kerry said that no treaty signed between Georgia’s occupied regions and Russia will ever be recognized by the United States,” Beruchashvili said.
"Mr. Kerry has promised assistance in terms of mobilizing the international community’s attention in this regard. The United States supports our Euro-Atlantic course. Kerry promised to support us regarding the implementation of the agreements made at the NATO Wales Summit and carrying out democratic reforms.”
During her speech at the OSCE Ministerial, Beruchashvili was again focused on the Russian-Abkhazian treaty, facts of human rights violation on Georgia’s de-facto regions and on the challenges Georgia currently faces.
"We appealed to the international community, including the OCSE, to activate all its levers in the region, as the situation that is currently taking place in Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova is very noteworthy for international security,” she said.
Beruchashvili also said that the OCSE leadership made special statements concerning the conflict in Georgia and explained the reasons why the Council of Ministers of the OSCE failed to issue a declaration on the situation in Georgia’s occupied regions.
"They explained it was because of principles and fundamental differences with Russia. Adoption of such a declaration required consensus, meaning the approval of Russia as well. However, the process of discussing such a document revealed large-scale support of OSCE member countries to Georgia,” she said.
After conclusion of the ministerial, the Foreign Minister is going to discuss regional security issues with partner countries. She is scheduled to visit Turkey to meet with her Turkish and Azerbaijani counterparts for a trilateral meeting in the country’s eastern province of Kars on December 10.
