Russian FM: “Indulgence causes dangerous illusions in Georgia’s leadership”

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Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement on the situation around Russian peacekeepers’ mission in the Georgian-Abkhazian and Georgian-Ossetian conflict zones. REGNUM introduces the full text of the statement:

“According to available information, President of Georgia intends to give at the 61th session of UN General Assembly an ultimatum of ending peacekeeping operations in Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the existing format and to withdraw Russian peacekeepers from the conflict zones, followed by substituting them by some international police forces. The scheme has long been articulated in statements of a range of official Tbilisi figures. In addition, the Georgian side attempts to put their own blame for stalemating the situation in the conflict settlement process on Russia and her peacekeepers.”

“In this regard, we consider necessary to present our view of the situation.”

“The course of the Georgian leadership for the destabilization of the situation in the conflict regions, renouncement of earlier signed agreements and dismantlement of acting negotiation and peacekeeping mechanisms has ultimately led to serious aggravation of the situation in the security field in the conflict zones, further escalation of interethnic confrontation and practical freezing of the negotiation process.”

“In the situation of the degenerating domestic situation in Georgia and accompanying growth of opposition, the Georgian authorities apparently attempt to look for those responsible for their faults outside their own country. This finds vent in repressions of the Georgian power agencies against opposition under the pretext of the charges of preparing a ‘coup’ with the help of some outer forces. All this happens with the explicit militarization of Georgia in the background, exaggerated belligerent and aggressive rhetoric on the part of Georgian officials of the higher rank, and repeated provocations, including military ones, of the Georgian side. The feeling of permissiveness that has become customary in Georgia’s power structures, apparently, tempts the country leadership to emancipate in order to forcefully solve the Abkhazian and South Ossetian issues. This is, however, an illusion of a dangerous and provocative kind.”

“Totally fabricated are assertions of the Georgian side of Russian peacekeepers allegedly ‘failing to solve a single existing problem and creating an impediment on the way of political settlement of the conflicts,’ and of the Russian side’s allegedly ‘becoming not a bridge but a wall’ on the way of conflict settlement. Peacekeeping forces deployed in the conflict zones thoroughly carry out their mandate of disengaging conflicting parties, maintaining peace and stability. This is documented in decisions and resolutions of concerned international agencies.”

“It is exactly thanks to Russian peacekeepers that in the beginning of the 1990s a fratricidal slaughter provoked by the Georgian authorities of the time was stopped, and population of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, regardless of nationality, received an opportunity to live and work in peace. And the task of political resolution of conflicts is not and cannot be a part of the mandate of peacekeeping forces, under which Georgia also subscribed. It is the leaders of Georgia, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia themselves who should agree on political settlement of the conflicts. Russia long ago facilitated creation of ‘bridges’ necessary for mutually acceptable settlement. Russia has created negotiation formats that have repeatedly proved their effectiveness in cases when sides are ready to use them and observe achieved agreements. And overcoming the Georgian ‘wall’ that is being created on the way of reconciliation and conflict resolution becomes more and more difficult.”

“According to the principles of international law and agreements signed by the sides and approved by UN and OSCE, the conflict sides have equal rights and responsibilities in all issues concerning settling their arguments. This is why, besides the opinion of the Georgian side, opinions of the Abkhazian and South Ossetian sides have also to be equally taken into account. Besides, the mandate of the CIS Joint Peacekeeping Forces (JPF) in Abkhazia is legally inseparable from the mandate of the UN Observer Mission in Georgia.”

“Leaders of Abkhazia and South Ossetia unequivocally support the vital need of the presence of Russian peacekeeping contingents in the conflict zones. Another evidence of the need are numerous addresses of non-governmental and humanitarian organizations, as well as ordinary citizens in the regions asking to protect them from outer aggression until the conflicts are ultimately resolved. This is quite natural, taking into consideration military threats and provocations from the Georgian side. We have no right to ignore such pleas, especially as the majority of the population of Abkhazia and South Ossetia are Russian citizens.”

“Russia will steadily continue to follow acting international agreements and conventions within the existing negotiation and peacekeeping formats.”