Georgia receives International support letters on the 14th anniversary of Russia-Georgia war
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, August 8, 2022
Georgia has received several international support letters from friendly countries and institutions in time for Russian aggression's 14th year anniversary on August 7.
The United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee expressed its support to Georgia on the 14th anniversary of the 2008 Russia-Georgia war.
According to the committee, Russia's invasion of Georgia 14 years ago was an illegal, aggressive act.
The US Senate declares that Russia should stop occupying the territories of neighboring countries.
"14 years ago, Russia began its invasion of Georgia, an illegal act of aggression against a sovereign country. Today, we reaffirm our support for Georgia. Abkhazia & South Ossetia are Georgian territories.
Russian occupation of its neighbors' territory must end."
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lietuva expressed its support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia as well.
The MFA of Lietuva states that the world should have stopped Russia 14 years ago, but we failed to learn the lesson.
"Lietuva stands in firm support of Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty. 14y ago Russia invaded Georgia. The aggression showed renewed & ever-expanding Russian revanchism. The world must have stopped Putin then. Lessons weren't learnt. Russia Must be stopped in Ukraine now. Enough is enough", MFA of Lietuva wrote on Twitter.
Georgia received a support letter from the European Parliament as well, as members of the "Georgian Contact Group" MEPs published a joint statement, in which they condemned the Russian occupation and expressed their support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia.
The statement is signed by: Petras Austrevichus, Michael Galler, Marina Kaljurand, Andrius Kubilius, Sven Mikser and Viola von Cramon.
According to MEPs, Russia's aggression in Georgia in 2008 went largely unpunished, and this led to the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and Russia's invasion of Ukraine today.
MEPs condemn Russia's occupation of Georgia and illegal actions.
"14 years ago today, on August 7, 2008, in blatant violation of international law, Russia launched a war of aggression against Georgia. The ramifications of this war are now vividly felt all over Europe. Russian aggression that went largely unpunished has engendered the Annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the full-scale illegal, unjustified, and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine in 2022.
On this day, we reaffirm our unwavering support for Georgia's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We condemn Russia's continued illegal occupation, the so-called borderisation, crippling occupation, the so-called passportization, as well as other steps towards the de-facto annexation of Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia.
In this light, we welcome the Judgment of the ECtHR establishing Russia's guilt in the grave human rights violations committed in the occupied regions of Georgia and call on the Russian Government to fulfill its obligation taken under the EU-mediated 12 August 2008 Ceasefire Agreement and withdraw its military and security forces from Georgia's internationally recognized territories," the statement reads.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland, Pekka Haavisto also expressed strong support for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Georgia.
"On the 14th anniversary of the conflict between Russia and Georgia, I reaffirm Finland's strong support for Georgia's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. According to international law, Abkhazia and South Ossetia belong to Georgia," Haavisto said.
