The occupation of the regions of Georgia has neither justification nor basis. The occupation has grave consequences for the security of our country and the entire region. The occupation has grave consequences for the people, who are deprived of the opportunity to realize their rights. That is why it is the obligation of all of us to uphold the international order, to be faithful to the principles of international law and to do everything possible to seek peace and to walk the path to peace precisely by observing the principles of law, – Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili stated at a joint briefing after her meeting with the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen.
According to Botchorishvili, the illegal military presence in the occupied territories poses a threat not only to Georgia, but also to the security of the entire region.
“The traditional visit of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office to Georgia is a confirmation of unwavering support for our country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and an emphasis on the importance of the issue of the occupation of Georgian territories on the OSCE agenda.
In the current extremely difficult geopolitical context, cooperation within the OSCE is of particular importance for Georgia. I would like to thank you for visiting Georgia within the framework of the Finnish Chairmanship of the OSCE. Tomorrow you will visit the occupation line, you will see for yourself how visible and how close the threats are, which we discussed today at the meeting and which the Georgian government constantly speaks about within the framework of international organizations.
The occupation of the regions of Georgia has neither justification nor basis. The occupation has grave consequences for the security of our country and the region as a whole. The occupation has grave consequences for the people who are deprived of the opportunity to realize their rights. Therefore, it is the duty of all of us to uphold the international order, to be faithful to the principles of international law and to do everything possible to seek peace and to follow the path to peace precisely by observing the principles of law.
The main driving force of the Georgian government is precisely the struggle for ensuring peace and stability. Every step in this process is important.
I would like to take this opportunity to respond to today’s decision of the European Court of Human Rights, according to which the Russian Federation will be obliged to pay more than 253 million to the Georgian side for the violated rights. Such victories are important for achieving our ultimate goal through peaceful means. In our struggle to ensure peace, the support of our international partners is of particular importance.
Today we spoke about the Geneva international negotiations as an important format, in which the OSCE representative is also involved. Once again, I would like to emphasize the necessity of implementing the ceasefire agreement of August 12, 2008 and the importance of the return of refugees. The disregard for international norms and the violation of sovereignty, the steps taken towards annexation should not remain beyond the attention of the international community. We must work to ensure that there are no dividing lines in Georgia that divide families, society and our country.
The illegal military presence in the occupied territories poses a threat not only to the security of Georgia, but also to the security of the entire region.
At the meeting, we discussed the situation in the South Caucasus. Georgia has always been and remains an advocate and promoter of peace and stability in our region,” Botchorishvili said.
Maka Botchorishvili: The occupation of Georgian regions has neither justification nor basis – the main driving force of the government is precisely the struggle for peace and stability
