Georgia: Joint Security Council Stakeout (15 August 2022) | United Nations

Joined by representatives from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Ireland, and Norway, Albanian Ambassador Ferit Hoxha today (15 Aug) said, “the Russian invasion of Georgia in August 2008 marked a more aggressive trend in Russia's policy regarding its neighbouring countries and the European security architecture.” Speaking to reporters outside the Security Council, Horta 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, hinderance of freedom of movement and lengthy closures of so-called crossing points, discrimination against ethnic Georgians in Gali and Akhalgori districts, and prohibition on education in residents native language.” Recall the judgment of the Grant Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights on 21st January 2021, he said “given Russia is in effective control of the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region, South Ossetia, it is responsible for grave human rights violations, including the killings of civilians, torture of prisoners of war, inhumane and degrading treatment, preventing Georgians from returning to their homes, and failure to conduct investigations into human rights violations.” 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.” Also speaking to reporters, Russian Ambassador Dmitry Polyansky said “actually, the situation of the Caucuses is very stable, so we don't have any reasons to raise this issue unless we are big fans of history.” He said, “on the eighth of August of 2018, as you know, there was a terrible provocation of Saakashvili regime in Georgia, which resulted in the 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 to 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.”


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