The UN Security Council discussed the August war and the occupation of Georgian territories
By Liza Mchedlidze
WEdnesday, August 17, 2022
On August 16, a closed session of the United Nations Security Council was held at which the 2008 war and the occupation of Georgian territories were discussed.
In a statement made after the meeting, the members of the UN Security Council called on the Russian Federation to fulfill its obligations under the ceasefire agreement, to respond in a timely manner to the facts of human rights violations that occur in the occupied territories of Georgia, and to cancel the annexation of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region's recognition of so-called independence.
After the meeting, the representatives of America, France, Ireland, Norway, Great Britain, Albania, Japan and Malta made a joint statement and said that the Russian war in Georgia in 2008 was the beginning of the Kremlin's aggressive policy not only toward the security of neighboring countries but also towards Europe.
"Russia's military aggression in Georgia in 2008 was the beginning of the trend of Russia's aggressive policy towards its neighboring countries and European security. This is what we see today in Ukraine. This is the path that Russia has continued. We firmly reaffirm Georgia's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We condemn the flagrant violations of the territorial integrity of Georgia by the Russian Federation. We condemn Russia's illegal invasion of Georgia and military mobilization in the occupied territories of Georgia, be it Abkhazia or the occupied Tskhinvali region, which are an integral part of Georgia." said the Ambassador of Albania, Ferit Hoxha.
According to the representatives of America, France, Ireland, Norway, Great Britain, Albania, Japan and Malta in the UN, it is important to continue the international discussions in Geneva and to fulfill the ceasefire agreement signed on August 12. The United Nations calls on Russia to cancel its recognition of the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions as states.
Speaking to reporters outside the Security Council, Hohxa condemned "Russia's continuous provocations, which go in parallel with the Russian unprovoked and unjustified war against Ukraine, the continued military presence and military drills on Georgia's territory, the enhanced so-called borderization process, unlawful detentions and kidnappings of the local population, hindrance of freedom of movement and lengthy closures of so-called crossing points, discrimination against ethnic Georgians in Gali and Akhalgori districts, and the prohibition on education in residents native language."
The statement read by Hoxha calls on the Russian Federation "to fully implement its obligation and commitments under the EU mediated ceasefire agreement of 12 August 2008 and withdraw its military and security forces from the territory of Georgia without delay."
"We repeat the 14-year-old call and call on Russia to cancel the recognition of the so-called independence of the Georgian territories," the Albanian ambassador said.
Before the closed session of the UN Security Council, the Deputy Ambassador of Russia to the UN, Dmitry Polyansky, stated that the Russian delegation to the UN was against the issue of Georgia being discussed at the session of the Security Council. Dmitry Polyansky said that the situation in the Caucasus is 'very stable' and this is why they have 'no reason to raise this issue':
"Our European colleagues decided to discuss the situation in Georgia, which is very strange. We are not talking about the state of Georgia, but about the country in the Caucasus. The situation in the Caucasus is very stable, that's why we have no reason to raise this issue.
According to him, in August 2008 there was 'a big provocation' by the Saakashvili regime and external forces also played a big role in the current situation. Polyanski said that the occupation of Georgian territories by Russia was the fault of Western countries.
He said, "on the eighth of August of 2018, as you know, there was a terrible provocation of the Saakashvili regime in Georgia, which resulted in immense problems for this country and the emergence of two independent Republics. Since then, the regime has changed, and the current leaders of Georgia have already given their own assessment of what has happened then. They recognize this reckless mistake that was made by Saakashvili. They also are very much aware of the role of foreign powers in this situation."
