Joint statement of South Ossetian and Abkhazian delegations on the Geneva International Discussions on security and stability in Transcaucasia

For several years already has been the UN General Assembly accepting draft resolution on refugees and displaced persons from South Ossetia and Abkhazia prepared by Georgian party. While delivering again and again the same writing of the document Georgia tries to impose on international community a unilateral politicized vision of the problem of refugees in order to support its non-legitimate territorial claims.

The latest draft resolution of the UN General Assembly on refugees and displaced people that was presented by Georgia in June 2016 and was similar to the previous one approved by the UN GA, refers to exercising the right of all internally displaced people, refugees and their descendants to return to “their homes located on whole territory of Georgia, including Abkhazia and South Ossetia”.

The writing of the resolution they try to impose on the international community is very reticent about the fact that appearance of these refugees and displaced persons is connected with the wars launched by Georgia against South Ossetia and Abkhazia. It says nothing about the fact that of more than hundred thousand Ossetians who had run of ethnic cleanings on territory of Georgia and found shelter in South Ossetia and the Russian Federation only few units succeeded in coming back to their homes.

It is obvious that the resolution which Georgia has been lobbying for several years, not only cannot promote improvement of refugees status coming from Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, but even influences negatively the course of the Geneva Discussions that remain the only platform for South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Georgia representatives to discuss a wide range of existing problems including the problem of refugees and forced migrants.

Key solution to the problem of refugees is not a diplomatic trick or propaganda effect of resolutions but refusal of confrontational posture and signing a legally binding agreement on non-use of force, and finally - a treaty of peace with Georgia on one side and the Republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on other.

Georgian activity in turning the problem of refugees into a political issue undercuts the efforts taken within the Geneva Discussions. As far as Georgia prefers to discuss issues connected with status of refugees and forced migrants in such authoritative international body as the United Nations General Assembly, South Ossetia and Abkhazia insist on the right to take part in that discussions held in the UN. Until political games on issue of refugees are played behind Abkhazia and South Ossetia backs, attempts to find solution to this problem within the Geneva discussions are useless.

 

June 20, 2018, Geneva

 

21.06.2018