On 17 December, the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Lasha Darsalia, met with the Ambassadors of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to Georgia, Reina Kaliurand, Ingrīda Levrence and Andrius Kalindra. The sides discussed the situation around the Russian-Georgian conflict and the situation in the occupied territories, and underlined the Russian Federation’s recent steps towards annexation. Lasha Darsalia expressed concern over Russia's provocative actions aimed at aggravating the security, human rights and humanitarian situation on the ground. In this regard, the First Deputy Minister focused on the illegal detention and abduction of Georgian citizens, and stressed the need of immediate release of Mamuka Chkhikvadze and other illegal detainees in Tskhinvali. The sides exchanged views over the peaceful policy focused on de-occupation of the country and reconciliation between the communities torn apart by the dividing lines. The sides also discussed the ongoing international negotiations in Geneva and the importance of achieving tangible results. Discussions also focused on the inclusive process within the government commission to develop and implement a state strategy for de-occupation and peaceful resolution of the conflict. Talking points included the security environment in the South Caucasus. Lasha Darsalia reaffirmed Georgia's readiness to promote peace and cooperation in the region. Lasha Darsalia thanked the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian Ambassadors for their support of Georgia for and noted the importance of the international community’s and the European Union’s effective involvement in advancing the peaceful settlement of the Russia-Georgia conflict.
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The Group of Friends of Georgia in OSCE adopted a statement in support for Georgia on 3 December 2021, within the framework of the 28th Ministerial Council of OSCE held in Stockholm. The statement underlines the support of the OSCE Group of friends for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and expresses concern over the occupation of Georgian territories by the Russian Federation. The statement calls on the Russian Federation to immediately fulfill its obligations under the Ceasefire Agreement, to withdraw its forces to pre-conflict positions and not to impede creation of international security arrangements on the ground. The statement calls on Russia to reverse its recognition of Georgia’s Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions as independent states. The statement expresses concern over Russia's military presence in the occupied regions, condemns Russia's steps to unilaterally establish the Georgia-Russia state border on the segments of the occupied territories and incorporate a part ofAibghavillage of Georgia into Krasnodar Krai. The Friends are also concernedwithongoing work in implementation of the “programme” on creation of a common socio-economic space between the Russian Federation and the Abkhazia region of Georgia as well as the so-called agreement on dual citizenship with the South Ossetia region of Georgia, as another step toward de facto annexation. The statement refers to the January 2021 judgement of the European Court of Human Rights and calls on the Russian Federation to fully comply with the judgment, including by allowing internally displaced persons (IDPs) to return to their homes in safety and dignity. The Group of Friends remains deeply concerned over the ethnic discrimination against Georgians residing in Georgia’s Abkhazia and South Ossetia regionsand calls on Russia to enable full and unhindered access by international human rights organisations to the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The Group of Friends remains concerned over the installation of barbed wire fences and other artificial barriers along the occupation line and the lengthy closure of so-called crossing points. They are deeply concerned by ongoing arbitrary detentions and call for immediate release of Irakli Bebua and those under illegal custody. The statement condemns the killings of Georgian citizens Archil Tatunashvili, Giga Otkhozoria, and Davit Basharuli, and urge the Russian Federation, as the stateto remove any obstacles to bringing the perpetrators to justice. In this context, the friends reiterate their support for Georgia’s preventive steps aimed at eradicating impunity and note the Otkhozoria-Tatunashvili List adopted by the government of Georgia. The Statement supports the Geneva International Discussions (GID) as an important format to address the security, human rights, and humanitarian challenges stemming from the unresolved Russia -Georgia conflict. Further, the Statement underlines the necessity of progress on the core issues of the discussions. The Friends express their support for the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms (IPRMs) in Ergneti and Gali and emphasize the important role they can have in preventing the escalation of the conflict and in helping protect the safety and security of people on the ground. The Statement reaffirms their unwavering support for the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) and highlights that the EUMM must be allowed to implement its mandate in full, on both sides of the occupation line. The Group of Friends welcomes the decision of the government of Georgia to launch a multi-stakeholder process for developing a comprehensive “State Strategy for de-occupation and peaceful conflict resolution,” as well as for the Georgian government’s ‘A Step to a Better Future’ peace initiative. The friends encourage the OSCE participating States to decide on the reopening of the OSCE cross-dimensional mission in Georgia. The re-opening of the mission would strengthen considerably the OSCE’s engagement in the GID and IPRMs, and in implementation of confidence-building measures. The Group of Friends of Georgia holds Russia accountable for its obligations and commitments, and advocates for the conflict’s peaceful resolution. The Statement is available here
We updated the EU on the work of the Government Commission on the Georgia’s State Strategy for De-occupation and Peaceful Conflict Resolution
The report highlights that the State Strategy for De-Occupation and Peaceful Conflict Resolution aims to achieve de-occupation of the Georgian territories and reconciliation of the communities torn apart by the war
David Zalkaliani also spoke about the Georgian government's peace policy and the work done by the governmental commission in terms of developing and implementing the State Strategy for De-occupation and Peaceful Conflict Resolution
The First Deputy Foreign Minister, Lasha Darsalia, met with the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia and Co-chair of Geneva International Discussions (GID), Toivo Klaar, on 20 October 2021 Discussions focused on the difficult security, humanitarian and human rights situation in the occupied regions of Georgia and the illegal and provocative actions taken by Russia. Special attention was paid to Moscow’s steps towards de facto annexation of the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions and to the so-called illegal process of "borderization"; severe consequences of the lengthy closure of the occupation line in the Tskhinvali region; restrictions on free movement and illegal detentions. The need for the immediate release of illegally detained Georgian citizens was also stressed. Particular attention was paid to the ongoing Geneva International Discussions and the importance of making tangible progress in the negotiation process. The sides highlighted the Georgian government’s policy and efforts for peaceful settlement of the conflict, focusing on the inclusive work process within the framework of the government commission established for the development and implementation of the state strategy for de-occupation and peaceful settlement of the conflict. At the same time, the meeting focused on the security environment in the South Caucasus. The First Deputy Minister stressed the need for the West’s active involvement in promoting peace and stability in the region.
On 6 October 2021, the Georgian First Deputy Foreign Minister, Lasha Darsalia met with the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office for the South Caucasus, Co-Chair of the Geneva International Discussions, Annika Söder. Discussions focused on the current security, human rights and humanitarian situation in the Russian-occupied territories of Georgia. Special attention was focused on serious human rights violations, including restrictions of free movement and illegal detentions, which weigh heavily on the conflict-affected population. The sides stressed the need for the immediate release of Georgian citizens detained by the occupation forces. Particular attention was paid to the ongoing Geneva International Discussions. The sides highlighted the need to achieve tangible results in the Geneva process and the ways to use the format effectively. The conversation also included the peaceful settlement of the conflict and the Georgian Government’s efforts to de-occupy the country, on the one hand, and on the other, to reconcile and engage with the communities living beyond the occupation line. Special accent, in this context, was put on the governmental commission established for the development and implementation of the state strategy for de-occupation and peaceful settlement of the conflict. The sides also discussed the security environment in the South Caucasus. The First Deputy Foreign Minister reaffirmed Georgia's commitment to promote peace and cooperation in the region. The sides exchanged views over the possible ways to strengthen the OSCE’s involvement in the region. The First Deputy Foreign Minister thanked the OSCE Special Representative for her efforts towards the peaceful settlement of the Russia-Georgia conflict and noted the importance of the OSCE’s and other co-chairing international organizations’ effective involvement in this process.
During his visit to Brussels on 14 and 15 September 2021, the First Deputy Foreign Minister, Lasha Darsalia met with representatives of the EU External Action Service - Pedro Serrano, Head of Cabinet of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Enrique Mora, the Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service. The key point of discussions was the EU's effective involvement in the de-occupation of Georgian territories and the peaceful settlement of the Russia-Georgia conflict. Lasha Darsalia stressed the role of the EU, as the mediator and guarantor of the 12 August ceasefire agreement, in facilitating the issue of the Georgian occupied territories with Moscow. The First Deputy Minister spoke in detail about Russia's illegal actions in the occupied territories the use of hybrid instruments. Highlighting the difficult security, human rights and humanitarian situation in the occupied territories, Darsalia underlined that Russia uses human rights and humanitarian issues as a tool of political pressure. The accent of the meetings was on the peaceful conflict settlement policy and the efforts of the Georgian authorities to de-occupy the country, on the one hand, and on the other hand, to reconcile and engage with communities living beyond the occupation line. Lasha Darsalia informed the EU representatives about the intensive work being done within the framework of the governmental commission set up for the development and implementation of the state strategy for de-occupation and peaceful settlement of the conflict. He stressed the importance of inclusive peacekeeping, which involves extensive dialogue and engagement with government agencies, various segments of civil society - experts, NGOs, academics and IDPs. The First Deputy Minister stressed the importance of international partners’, and primarily, of the European Union’s active involvement in the process. The sides highlighted the dynamics of the Geneva International Talks and the need to make progress on key issues on the agenda, such as implementation of the ceasefire agreement, non-use of force and safe and dignified return of internally displaced persons and refugees. The sides discussed the security environment in the South Caucasus. Lasha Darsalia stressed that Moscow's actions in Ukraine, Georgia and throughout the South Caucasus are part of one and the same policy directed against peace and security in Europe. The First Deputy Minister noted Georgia's commitment to promote peace and cooperation in the region and stressed the need to strengthen the EU involvement in the region. Lasha Darsalia thanked the EU for its strong support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and for its efforts to resolve the Russia-Georgia conflict. It was noted that due to the acute security and humanitarian situation on the ground, the issues related to the occupied regions of Georgia will remain atop the international agenda.
The Georgian side briefed the Swiss representatives on the intensive work carried out within the framework of the Government Commission for the Development and Implementation of the State Strategy for De-Occupation and Peaceful Conflict Resolution
On 3 September 2021, the Vice Prime Minister/Minister of Foreign Affairs, Davit Zalkaliani hosted the non-resident ambassadors at the Palace of Ceremonies.The Foreign Minister congratulated the foreign diplomats on their appointment to new positions and wished them success in their future activities, he also stressed the importance of coordinated work. "The need to stay together and coordinate efforts was best demonstrated by the coronavirus pandemic when, amid border closures and other restrictive measures, the issue of repatriation, development of new cargo regulations and the provision of essential medical equipment and vaccines was put on the agenda" – David Zalkaliani said. According to him, Georgia is a responsible member of the international community, which respects and unwaveringly adheres to the norms and principles of international law and calls on others to do the same. The Foreign Minister briefed the ambassadors on Georgia's future plans, spoke about the key aspects of the country's foreign policy and underlined the main challenge facing Georgia - the occupation of Georgian territories. "The Georgian government is making every effort to de-occupy Georgian territories, resolve the conflict peacefully, reconcile societies divided by occupation lines and unite the country with the support and effective involvement of the international community. We have just started the most important process - we have set up a government commission to develop and implement a state strategy for de-occupation and peaceful resolution of the conflict. "A few weeks ago, I presented the 10-year foreign policy plan to the public, emphasizing that along with the restoration of Georgia's territorial integrity, another key task before us is Georgia’s membership in the EU and NATO - the historic choice of the Georgian people enshrined in the Constitution" Zalkaliani said. According to him, Georgia is actively involved in the strengthening of global and regional security. "As a future member of the Euro-Atlantic family, we are trying to contribute to maintaining the European security architecture. Georgia is actively cooperating with its western partners to address such security challenges as terrorism, hybrid threats, cybercrime, reduction of energy dependence, global climate change, arms control and non-proliferation" - he said. Davit Zalkaliani also focused his attention on Georgia’s important role in ensuring global security. "Georgia’s unique role and function in the context of global security was further attested by Georgia's recent involvement in the humanitarian and evacuation processes during the recent crisis in Afghanistan. Up to 2,500 civilians were evacuated and several dozen transit flights were performed through the regional transit hub set up at the Tbilisi International Airport," Zalkaliani said. It should be noted that a total of 24 non-resident ambassadors arrived in Georgia. On 1-3 September, they held meetings with the Deputy Foreign Affairs Ministers of Georgia, after which they presented their credentials to the President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili.
On the occasion of the 13th anniversary of Russia’s invasion of the Georgian territories, The OSCE Group of Friends of Georgia delivered a joint statement on behalf of Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. The Group of Friends reaffirms their full support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. The statement reads that: “Thirteen years since the Russian military invasion of Georgia, we remain deeply concerned over the continued occupation of parts of the territory of Georgia and underline the need for the peaceful resolution of the conflict based on full respect for the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act and international law”. The Group of Friends welcomes Georgia’s compliance with the EU-mediated 12 August 2008 ceasefire agreement, and calls upon the Russian Federation to fulfill immediately its clear obligation under the ceasefire agreement to withdraw its forces to pre-conflict positions, as well as its commitments to allow unfettered access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and not to impede creation of international security arrangements on the ground. They also call upon Russia to reverse its recognition of the so-called independence of Georgia’s Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions. The Joint Statement reiterates deep concern over Russia’s military exercises and ongoing military presence in Georgia’s Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions and condemns Russia’s steps to unilaterally establish the Georgia-Russia state border on the segments of the occupied territories and incorporate a part of Aibgha village of Georgia into Krasnodar Krai. “We urge Russia to reverse this process. We are also concerned with ongoing work in implementation of the “programme” on creation of a common socio-economic space between the Russian Federation and the Abkhazia region of Georgia as another step toward de facto annexation” – reads the statement. Referring to the January 2021 judgment of the European Court of Human Rights, the Group of Friends calls on Russia to fully comply with the judgment, including by allowing internally displaced persons (IDPs) to return to their homes in safety and dignity. The Joint Statement expresses concern over the intensified provocations by the Russian Federation, including over the ongoing installation of barbed wire fences and other artificial barriers along the administrative boundary lines (ABLs) of Georgia’s Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions, and by the lengthy closure of so-called ABL crossing points. These actions have destabilized the situation on the ground and severely impacted the security, safety, well-being, and humanitarian conditions of civilians in conflict-affected areas. The Group of Friends calls on Russia as being in effective control to enable full and unhindered access by international human rights organisations to the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The Group of Friends condemns the killing of Georgian citizens Archil Tatunashvili, Giga Otkhozoria, and Davit Basharuli, and urges the Russian Federation to remove any obstacles to bringing the perpetrators to justice. The Joint Statement expresses support for the Geneva International Discussions (GID) as an important format to address the security, human rights, and humanitarian challenges stemming from the unresolved Russia-Georgia conflict; underlinesthe necessity of progress on the core issues of the discussions, including on the non-use of force, establishing international security arrangements in Georgia’s Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions and ensuring the safe, dignified, and voluntary return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees in accordance with international law; the Group of Friends highlights the important role the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms (IPRMs) in Ergneti and Gali can have in preventing the escalation of the conflict and in helping protect the safety and security of people on the ground. The parties reaffirm their nwavering support for the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) and call upon the Russian Federation to allow the EUMM to implement its mandate in full, including by enabling the EUMM’s access on both sides of the administrative boundary lines. On closing, the Group of Friends welcomes the decision of the government of Georgia to launch a multi-stakeholder process of developing a comprehensive “State Strategy for de-occupation and peaceful conflict resolution,” as well as the launch of the strategic review of the reconciliation and engagement policy. They also support the Georgian government’s ‘A Step to a Better Future’ peace initiative, aimed at improving the humanitarian and socio-economic conditions of people residing in Georgia’s Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions and at fostering confidence building among divided communities.
On 12 August 2021, the OSCE Permanent Council met to discuss, at the initiative of the Georgian delegation, Russia’s large-scale military aggression against Georgia and occupation of Georgia’s Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions. Georgia’s Permanent Representative to OSCE, Ketevan Tsikhelashvili highlighted that 13 years ago Russia posed a serious threat to European security and the rules-based international order by violating the internationally recognized borders of the sovereign state. Moreover, Russia still continues to defy the EU-mediated Ceasefire Agreement of 12 August 2008, and expanding military build-up of the occupied regions, Russia is taking steps towards their actual annexation. Recalling the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights, the Georgian Ambassador stated that as in effective control of Georgia’s Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions, Russia has been recognized as responsible for grave human rights violations both during the August 2008 war and following the occupation. According to Ketevan Tsikhelashvili, fortification of the occupation line through installation of barbed wire fences and other artificial barriers, as well as illegal detentions of local residents still continue to be reported. The Georgian ambassador, in this context, stressed the necessity to immediately release Irakli Bebua, Gennady Bestaev and other Georgian citizens illegally detained by the occupation regime. She spoke extensively on the difficult humanitarian situation and human rights violations on the ground, including restrictions of freedom of movement and closures of border checkpoints, discrimination against ethnic Georgians, prohibition on education in residents’ native language. Even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia does not seem to give up on its provocative actions. Quite the contrary: it actively uses tools of hybrid warfare against Georgia. The Georgian Ambassador expressed her concern over Russia’s restricting an access to international human rights monitoring mechanisms, including to EUMM, to the occupied territories, as well as over Russia’s refusal to create international security mechanisms on the ground. The Georgian delegation highlighted the importance of the Geneva International Discussions, and the need to achieve progress on such issues as the non-use of force commitment, creation of international security mechanisms on the ground and return of refugees and IDPs to the places of origin. According to Ambassador Tsikhelashvili, notwithstanding serious humanitarian and security challenges, the Georgian Government remains committed to the peaceful conflict resolution agenda and democratic development processes. In this light, she spoke about the development of a comprehensive “State Strategy for de-occupation and peaceful conflict resolution” as part of unique whole-of-nation process aimed at results-oriented and inclusive peace policy. The EU, Turkish and Ukrainian delegation made statements in support for Georgia during the meeting. The Group of Friends of Georgia also delivered a Joint statement on behalf of Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. They reaffirmed their support for Georgia’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. In their joint statement, the delegations of the Group of Friends express their concern over the continued occupation of parts of the territory of Georgia and the intensified provocations by the Russian Federation. They condemn the so-called borderization process, which violates the rights of local residents, including freedom of movement. Referring to the January 2021 judgment of the European Court of Human Rights, the Group of Friends calls on Russia to fully comply with norms of international law and the judgment, The delegations call upon the Russian Federation to fulfill immediately its clear obligation under the EU-mediated 12 August 2008 ceasefire agreement to withdraw its forces to pre-conflict positions. They also reaffirm their unwavering support to the international monitoring mechanisms and the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) and call upon the Russian Federation to allow them to implement their mandate in full, including by enabling their access to the occupied territories. The Group of Friends delegations express their support for the peace initiative of the Government of Georgia, ‘A Step to a Better Future’, aimed at fostering confidence building among divided communities to the benefit of all affected people.