STATEMENT OF THE PARLIAMENT OF GEORGIA Regarding Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, made on March 6, 2008 about “The Withdrawal Of The Russian Federation from the decision of January 19, 1996, adopted by the CIS Heads of States”

The Parliament of Georgia expresses deep concern and firm protest regarding Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, made on March 6, 2008 about “The Withdrawal of the Russian Federation from the Decision of January 19, 1996, Adopted by the CIS Heads of States.” The legislative body of Georgia considers the mentioned position of the Russian authorities as a clear attempt to infringe sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia. It is worth mentioning that imposing of sanctions was a result of ethnic cleansing of Georgian population, carried out by Abkhaz side in the region and confirmed by the 1994 Budapest, 1996 Lisbon and 1999 Istanbul OSCE Summits. Withdrawal from the decision of January 19, 1996 means Russia’s ignoring of the OSCE’s above-mentioned assessments, ethnic cleansing, carried out in the regions of Georgia, also several documents, adopted in the frame of the CIS and is an attempt to legitimize separatist authorities. The Parliament of Georgia declares that discussion of issues, related to regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali in Russian State Duma without agreement with Georgia is full ignoring of Georgia’s sovereign rights.

Argumentation, used in the Russian Duma for the initiative of cooperation with Georgia’s conflicting regions, is based on distortion of the historic facts is fully inconsistent with acting international agreements on the conflicting regions. Russia’s unilateral initiatives infringe upon negotiation formats under the auspices of the UNO. It must be specifically underlined that the decision of the CIS of January 19, 1996 envisages not only imposing of economic and trade sanctions but also restricting military assistance. Consequently, it is an attempt to realize legitimization of unrestricted military and economic assistance to separatist regimes without official recognition of a region’s independence.

The Parliament of Georgia declares that it is an only document, openly and definitely forbidding any type of cooperation with Abkhazian side. The step of Russia is one more effort to create destabilization of the situation in the region and thus to impede the future progress in Georgia-NATO relations. This is an attempt of the Russian side to indirectly influence the decision of the Alliance.

These provocative actions of Russia once more prove that Russia itself ignores the CIS as international organization and does not respect its own obligations and signed international agreements. The Parliament of Georgia expresses hope that the CIS member countries will not support Russia’s destructive decision.

The Parliament of Georgia assesses the fact of withdrawal of the Russian Federation from the decision of the CIS of January 19, 1996 as casting doubt from Russia’s side on legal basis of acting peacekeeping format of the CIS in the conflicting zone. The Parliament of Georgia expresses hope that in case of continuation of unilateral discussion of the issue of Georgia’s regions by the Russian Duma, the decision of the Russia’s legislative body will be in full compliance with norms and principles of International Law.

The Parliament of Georgia appeals to international community, international organizations and friendly countries to make an adequate response to clear attempt of the Russian Federation to encourage separatism, to create escalation of situation in the conflicting regions and to infringe upon territorial integrity of Georgia.

14 march, 2008

(www.parliament.ge)