Relations with Russia can’t be settled at the expense of our sovereignty, PM says at UNGA session
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Monday, October 5
He made the speech during the 70th session of the United Nation’s General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
“I condemn this creeping annexation and Russia’s total disregard for international law, “the PM stated, noting that the rights of Georgian citizens who had been forced from their homes or those living near the so-called Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) were being violated on a daily basis.
“The pain of this conflict is real. The dislocation is profound. Since 2012, our government has provided homes to approximately 10,000 Internally Displaced (IDPs) families from the occupied territories,” the PM said.
The PM stressed that Georgia has chosen to pursue pragmatic relations with Russia and taken constructive steps to improving the two countries' relations, starting in the fields of tourism and economics.
“I hope that the Russian Federation will finally fulfill its international obligations, including the August 12, 2008 Ceasefire Agreement, and act as a responsible member of the international community,”the PM said.
With regards to Georgia’s occupied regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, PM Garibashvili emphasised that it was beyond anyone’s ability to write a new version of history.
“All attempts to cut off our ties and divide our peoples will fail,”the PM stated, and stressed that the current Georgian Government offered sharing the benefits of Georgia's progression with Georgia’s Abkhazian and Ossetian brothers.
“You will benefit from a growing Georgian economy and from our Association Agreement (AA) with the European Union (EU) – including increasing trade and visa liberalization.
“I look forward to the day when you will share in our prosperity,” the PM addressed the residents of Georgia’s de-facto regions.
The PM has already ended his nine-day trip to the United Nations headquarters, and returned to Georgia on October 3.
