Georgia’s peace initiative and human rights violations in the occupied regions of the country were the two major topics Georgian Foreign Minister and Vice Premier Mikheil Janelidze underlined in his speech delivered at UN headquarters yesterday.
Janelidze’s speech was part of a high level meeting on peace building and sustaining peace. He underlined the difficult situation in the occupied territories and cases of human rights violations by the occupational forces.
“The suspension of the UN monitoring mission mandate in Georgia as a result of a veto in the UN security council as well as of OSCE monitoring mission in the aftermath of Russia’s military aggression in 2008 created an international vacuum in occupied regions where arbitrary detention, kidnapping and murder have become the norm,” Janelidze said, adding that fundamental human rights are violated.
He also noted the death of Archil Tatunashvili who was detained by occupants in breakaway Tskhinvali, South Ossetia and died in unknown circumstances last month; no charges have been raised.
“Hundred of thousands of internally displaced people are not allowed to return to their homes and those who stayed there are victims of discrimination”, he added.
He expressed the Georgian government’s firm position towards the peaceful process of conflict settlement and spoke about Georgia’s peace initiative – A Step to a Better Future – underlining its major principles allowing the population of the occupied regions to enjoy the possibilities Georgia has through reforms and EU integration.
Watch the full address of Georgia’s Foreign Minister to the UN below:
Andrew Gilmour, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights and Head of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in New York, condemned the occupation of the Georgian regions by Russia during the international event and stated about the importance of allowing international missions in the breakaway regions of Georgia.
We are ready to send the UN Human Rights Commissioner in the regions. However, we need a permission for this,” Gilmour stated.
A representative of Germany spoke about Georgia’s new peace initiative to the occupied regions, praised the step and told the Georgian government “be sure in our support.”
Source: Agenda.ge