On June 29, 2011 at the session of UN General Assembly in New York was adopted a resolution «Situation of displaced persons from Abkhazia, Georgia and Tskhinval Region/South Ossetia, Georgia».
Unfortunately, in adopted by UN General Assembly resolution which project once again was moved by Georgian delegation is submitted a unilateral politicized approach that has little common with real state of things and anxiety for the fortune of refugees. In resolution is in view a tendency to reinforce the territorial pretensions of Georgia towards South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The Resolution is absolutely not considering a real situation in the region, notably the existing in the region of two independent and recognized by a number of UN member-states – the Republic of South Ossetia and the Republic of Abkhazia.
Discussion of the issue went off in the absence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia representatives who could bring to the notice of UN General Assembly the stand of their states in solution of such a significant humanitarian problem. But US authorities refused to issue visas to the representatives of South Ossetia once again. It is rather regretful that all voted for this resolution states supported ambitions of Georgian leadership.
The real state of affairs is far from the one that imposed by Georgia. The Republic of South Ossetia is a recognized state which formed during the collapse of former Soviet Union in accordance with all the international and legal norms and its territory under no circumstances should be viewed as a part of Georgia, as it is communicated in the resolution. In early 1990s of the lust century more than 120 thousands of Ossetians were ousted from Georgia and South Ossetia due to the ethnical cleansings and found asylum at the territory of Russian Federation. Up till now no one of them returned to the place of residence and their fortune for some reason is still out of view of Georgia and the UN General Assembly. And the ethnical Georgians, who presently are called refugees left the territory of South Ossetia by themselves several days before the August war 2008 as a result of the criminal policy of Georgia.
Adoption of this resolution by UN General Assembly will be very negative for Geneva discussions that is presently the only format were the representatives of South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Georgia may solve the emerged problems. Moreover, removal of discussion of refugee issue to the format of UN General Assembly without South Ossetia and Abkhazia representatives will lead this problem out of the Geneva discussions frameworks and the last will lose any sense.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia states with all responsibility that such backing of political interests of Georgian authorities will not be contributive for the elimination of problems of regional security, and once again confirms the readiness of South Ossetia to consider the issues of refugees according to the international norms and underlines the necessity of participation of South Ossetia’s representatives at all forums where is discussing the problem Georgian-Ossetian relations.
Tskhinval, July 4, 2011