Pertaining to the Resolution on Cooperation with Georgia adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Council
March 24 saw the United Nations Human Rights Council adopting the Resolution on Cooperation with Georgia at the 34th session held in Geneva, where absolutely groundless alarm was expressed about “human rights and humanitarian situation in South Ossetia” as well as about ban on international observers entering the territory of the Republic. The document was prepared and submitted by Georgia.
Based on the adopted resolution the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) addressed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia a letter with demand to provide access to the territory of the Republic for representatives of the Office.
In response the Ministry of Foreign Affairs send corresponding letter to the OHCHR, which contains the following:
The Republic of South Ossetia has repeatedly made statements about inadmissibility of the practice when Georgia unilaterally takes out discussion of issues falling within the mandate of the Geneva discussions at other international stages, including at the UN, where neither the Republic of South Ossetia, nor the Republic of Abkhazia are presented. Such a practice deprives the international community of the possibility to receive unbiased accurate information about true state of affairs. Demonstrative activity of Georgian representatives accredited to various international organizations and their actions to the detriment of interests of the Republic of South Ossetia have already led to blocking of discussions on problems of refugees in Geneva. Such a policy being followed further can provoke dismissal of the Geneva format and completely ban prerequisites for regulating relations between the Republic of South Ossetia and Georgia.
As it is known, the Republic of South Ossetia is not a member of the United Nations and cannot have obligations under the resolution adopted by the UN.
In the same way the Republic of South Ossetia is not a part of Georgia. The Republic of South Ossetia is an independent sovereign state that based on principles of democracy, executing human rights and in full compliance with fundamental principles of democracy and rules of international law exists for 25 years. That’s the fact that the international community cannot ignore for political reasons of Georgia, which at each international platform tries to misrepresent the existing reality about situation in the region.
The Republic of South Ossetia has never been opposed to official cooperation with international organizations including the OHCHR. Moreover, the Government of the Republic of South Ossetia has numerous times come out with suggestions to establish all necessary rapports. However, this cooperation is blocked exactly by international organizations, which against common sense still consider the Republic of South Ossetia as a part of Georgia and consider possibility of establishing rapports with South Ossetia in context of cooperation with Georgian authorities. It’s absolutely inadmissible for us.
The Republic of South Ossetia would be ready to receive representatives of the OHCHR for discussion of possible cooperation, if corresponding application, considering true state of affairs mentioned above, based on generally accepted international norms, is received in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia.
April 19, 2017, Tskhinval