TBILISI, September 24 – Russia says Georgia must give legally binding guarantees that it will not use force against its breakaway territories Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The statement further demands that Georgia agree to formally mark the borders of those territories.
The Russian Foreign Ministry statement was issued following talks on Wednesday between Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Oleg Bartsits, who serves as foreign minister in the breakaway Abkhaz administration, and Konstantin Kochiev, an adviser to the leader of South Ossetia’s breakaway administration. Interpressnews reported the statement on Thursday.
Moscow said it and the authorities in Sukhumi and Tskhinvali consider lasting security in the two regions impossible without a legally binding pledge from Tbilisi not to use force against them. It also called for the borders between Georgia and the two regions to be formally defined and marked on the ground.
Georgia regards Abkhazia and South Ossetia as parts of its territory under Russian occupation. Russia recognizes both as independent states. The proposed border agreements would therefore concern territory whose status is disputed between Moscow and Tbilisi.
Grigol Gegelia, international secretary of Georgia’s opposition Lelo party, rejected the idea of discussing such conditions while Russian forces remain in the country.
Responding to the Russian statement on Thursday, Gegelia said Moscow must first withdraw its troops completely from Georgian territory. Only after that, he argued, could talks begin on arrangements for restoring the country’s territorial unity.
Tbilisi has resisted signing any agreements with the breakaway authorities, because of concerns that doing so could imply recognition of their statehood. Absent a formal agreement, both Georgia and the two regions have made unilateral commitments through the years not to use force.
While Russia’s position is that Georgia should give assurances directly to the two regions, Georgia expects a non-aggression pact with Moscow, as a party to the 2008 war, without recognizing Tskhinvali and Sokhumi’s authorities.
The cease-fire agreement brokered by the European Union, represented by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, after the 2008 war included a non-use-of-force commitment.
