Statement of the Group of Friends of Georgia at the OSCE
At the 31st OSCE Ministerial Council Meeting on 6 December 2024, a statement in support for Georgia was delivered by the Group of Friends of Georgia at the OSCE (on behalf of Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America).
In their statement, the Group of Friends of Georgia reaffirmედ their full support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. Sixteen years since the Russian Federation’s military invasion of Georgia, they expressed deep concern over the continued occupation of Georgia’s regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and underlined the need for peaceful resolution of the conflict based on full respect for international law and commitments, including the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act.
The Group of Friends of Georgia condemned Russia’s military aggression against Georgia in 2008 and expressed their concern that Georgia has been a target of Russia’s hybrid tactics as well as conventional warfare ever since regaining its independence. They expressed their deep concern over Russia’s ongoing illegal military presence, military exercises and violation of airspace in Georgia’s Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions.
In their statement, the Group of Friends of Georgia welcomed Georgia’s compliance with the EU-mediated 12 August 2008 Ceasefire Agreement. They called upon Russia to fulfil immediately its clear obligation under the Ceasefire Agreement to withdraw its forces to pre-conflict positions. They called upon Russia to reverse its recognition of the so-called independence of Georgia’s regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and to ensure safe and dignified return of all internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees to their homes in a manner consistent with international law.
The Group of Friends of Georgia condemned Russia’s attempts at implementation of the so-called integration and alliance treaties between Russia and Georgia’s Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions. They further condemned illegitimate establishment of polling stations for Russian presidential elections in Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions of Georgia in March 2024, and so-called parliamentary elections in the South Ossetia region of Georgia in June 2024 without Georgia’s consent. These steps, according to the Group of Friends of Georgia, constitute a clear violation of international law by the Russian Federation and directly contradict OSCE commitments. The Group of Friends of Georgia urged Russia to reverse its steps aimed to hamper confidence-building efforts.
The Group of Friends of Georgia expressed concern over the continuous discrimination against Georgians on the grounds of ethnicity in Georgia’s regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. They also reaffirmed concern about abuses, including severe restrictions on rights related to freedom of movement and native language education – which leads to severe humanitarian consequences and creates a risk for further depopulation of both regions.
The group of friends called on Russia to hold those responsible for the murder of Georgian citizens accountable and to release individuals arbitrarily detained by the occupying forces. They issued a call for the immediate and unconditional release of the unlawfully detained individuals.
The group of friends emphasized the 2021 ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which established Russia's responsibility for violations committed during and after the 2008 conflict. They also highlighted the ECHR’s ruling of 9 April 2024, confirming multiple violations of the European Convention on Human Rights caused by unlawful “borderisation” by the Russian Federation. Member countries of the group called on Russia to fully comply with these judgments, including by allowing internally displaced persons (IDPs) to return to their homes in safety and dignity.
The statement underscored the support for the Geneva International Discussions (GID) and the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms (IPRMs) as essential platforms for maintaining dialogue and addressing security and humanitarian issues. The group of friends also emphasized the importance of OSCE engagement, including the reopening of its multidimensional mission in Georgia, as a crucial effort toward conflict resolution.
The Group of Friends of Georgia expressed support for the Georgian Government’s “A Step to a Better Future” initiative and its “Peace Fund for a Better Future”, aimed at improving the socio-economic conditions and at fostering confidence building among divided communities.
According to the statement, the Group of Friends of Georgia will continue to raise awareness of the conflict and of developments on the ground, hold Russia accountable for meeting its obligations and commitments, and advocate for the conflict’s peaceful resolution.
