Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Wednesday addressed the 29th OSCE Ministerial Council’s plenary session, stressing Georgia’s support for Ukraine, as well as the importance of the international communities’ unity in forcing Russia to fulfil its international obligations.

“Nine months ago, the European security architecture was shattered by Russia’s full-scale military aggression against Ukraine. The humanitarian consequences are dreadful with thousands of lives lost and millions of others displaced. We continue to stand with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people and reiterate Georgia’s unwavering support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders,” the Minister asserted.

Darchiashvili reminded the session attendees that “Georgia experienced Russia’s aggressive policy, combining conventional and heavy warfare tools since the early 90s.”

“Following the full-scale military aggression in August 2008, we suffer grave consequences daily bases. The two regions of Georgia – Abkhazia and Tskhinvali, South Ossetia – remain occupied by the Russian Federation. These regions were tended to be military strongholds and are now heavily depopulated. Over 300,000 Georgians were expelled from their homes and are still deprived of the possibility to exercise their right to return,” he went on.

The Minister mentioned the European Court of Human Rights judgment of January 2021 and the decision of the International Criminal Court of June 2022 “which legally attested Russia’s occupation and [its] effective control of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions of Georgia and has responsibility for human rights violations.”

He underscored that “Georgia is committed to the peaceful resolution of the Russia-Georgia conflict. In this context, the Minister stressed that the Geneva International Discussions (GID) “is the only format to ensure Russia’s full compliance with the EU-mediated 2008 Ceasefire Agreement.”

Darchiashvili also underlined the significance of “the decisive steps and the unity of the international community to make Russia fulfil its international obligations, including the EU-mediated 2008 Ceasefire Agreement, as well as obey the fundamental principles of international law and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighbours.”

“There is no other way for consolidating European security. The use of force and the threat of the use of force must cease. This is no language that may succeed. The OSCE provides a comprehensive and well-tailored framework for security. It has been a work of nearly five decades, as we recollected yesterday night. We believe it has a good potential to serve for peace and security in Europe and future as well, but the potential may remain untapped if all participating states are not respecting the basics, the principles and obligations, which they themselves committed to,” he concluded.

Would like to express my immense gratitude to the Group of Friends of Georgia for their unwavering and vocal support to our country, as well as for keeping the case of 🇬🇪 high on OSCE’s political agenda. #OSCEMC22 pic.twitter.com/VES1FbPwtu

— Ilia Darchiashvili (@iliadarch) December 1, 2022