Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Regarding the Georgian Parliament's Resolution on the Peacekeeping Forces in the Conflict Zones

Unofficial Translation from Russian

On July 18, the Georgian Parliament adopted a resolution entitled 'On the Peacekeeping Forces in the Conflict Zones' obliging the government to start the procedures for the soonest termination of the peacekeeping operations in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the annulment of the relevant treaties and structures and an immediate withdrawal from Georgia of the contingents of Russian peacekeeping forces stationed there in full accordance with the existing international agreements. It is recommended that work be started to change the peacekeeping format and deploy international police forces in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

During the discussion of the draft resolution, some of the deputies went so far as to say that unless these conditions were accepted, the Russian peacekeepers would be outlawed and would be treated as occupying forces. The resolution falsely claims that the actions of the Russian peacekeepers in Abkhazia and South Ossetia are a chief barrier in the way of a peaceful settlement of the conflicts.

The Russian side regards the adopted resolution as a provocative move directed at whipping up tension, scuttling the present negotiation formats, and liquidating the juridical base of a peaceful settlement of the Georgian-Abkhaz and Georgian-Ossetian conflicts. The charges therein contained against Russia are an indecent attempt to shift the blame on to somebody else.

We consider that the language of ultimatums Georgia uses with regard to the Russian peacekeepers is counterproductive. Unilateral decisions cannot lead to a cancellation of the existing international agreements. Our position remains invariable - the adoption of parliamentary resolutions on the withdrawal of the Russian peacekeepers is fraught only with a new crisis and a humanitarian catastrophe. In recent years Russia together with the foreign partners and international organizations has exerted considerable efforts to maintain the fragile balance being upset by the bellicose rhetoric of the Georgian politicians and by their attempts to use provocations and military force to solve the problems of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Each time it was only thanks to the existing peacekeeping mechanisms that the situation was successfully kept under control.

It should not be forgotten that the formats of the negotiation process involving, apart from Russia, the UN, OSCE, CIS and the member countries of the UN Secretary General's Group of Friends of Georgia have been created by agreement of all the parties involved in the conflicts. The irresponsible actions of Tbilisi can cause irreparable damage to the peaceful settlement of the conflicts.

The Russian side will take all necessary measures to ensure the fulfillment of the existing international agreements, not to allow a destabilization of the situation in the region and to protect the rights and interests of the Russian citizens living there.

July 18, 2006