TBILISI, DFWatch – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly July 9 is to adopt a resolution which for the first time calls the presence of Russian military in Georgia’s breakaway regions an occupation.

The resolution deals with the current situation in Georgia. The ten point document, published on the Parliament Assembly’s official website, deals with the necessity to fulfill the declaration adopted in 2007 in Kiev, about regulating conflicts in the OSCE’s area.

Georgian officials consider this document important, because for the first time in the organization’s history, it uses the term ‘occupation’ about Georgia’s breakaway regions.

Gigi Tsereteli, head of the Georgian delegation at the session, says the Parliamentary Assembly has never before before passed a resolution with the term ‘occupation’, and he says it is very strict towards Russia.

The whole passage reads: “…Concerned about the humanitarian situation of the displaced persons both in Georgia and in the occupied territories of Abkhazia, Georgia and South Ossetia, Georgia as well as the denial of the right of return to their places of living,” the document says, ‘Urges the government and the parliament of the Russian Federation, as well as the de facto authorities of Abkhazia, Georgia, and South Ossetia, Georgia to allow the European Union Monitoring Mission unimpeded access to the occupied territories of Abkhazia, Georgia and South Osetia, Georgia as was previously agreed in the Ceasefire agreement and co-operate fully with the EUMM.”

The de facto Foreign Ministry of South Ossetia responded by saying the resolution is biased.

“Adoption of a resolution excluding the positions of interested parties contradicts the purposes of a settlement,” the statement says.

It goes on to say that South Ossetia has repeatedly raised the possibility of presenting its representative at the meeting of the UN General Assembly to contribute the position of the Ossetian people, to present their vision of the situation, including solutions to refugee problems, but it was ignored.

The de facto Abkhazian government called the document one-sided.

“There is no doubt that the authors of the resolution pursued not only humanitarian causes. The adoption of this biased and one-sided document, which one can already notice in the title, is nothing more than an element of the political propaganda advocacy in Georgia.”

Russia also responded, saying that if adopted, this resolution may complicate the situation in South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The Russian Foreign Ministry writes that the Russian side voted against the resolution, based on the belief that it does not correspond to reality, and is fraught with complications of the situation in the region, fails to address solutions to the many humanitarian issues, and is not conducive to establishing trust between the Abkhaz, South Ossetian and Georgian sides, which is a prerequisite for a decision, including the refugee problem.

After war in 2008 between Russia and Georgia, Geneva talks are held regularly, which is opportunity for all sides to talk. On the meetings there are representatives from Georgia, De-facto Abkhazia and South Ossetia and Russia.

Draft of the resolution was prepared by Michal Szczerba, Polish representative.

OSCE official website also informs that OSCE Secretary General; Lamberto Zannier will arrive in Georgia for 10-11 July and visit Tbilisi and Batumi. He will also travel to Azerbaijan and Armenia. During meetings with officials they will discuss co-operation in politico-military, economic and environmental, as well as in human dimensions fields.