Zakharova on the “states of Georgia, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia”
The official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, stated at a briefing on October 16 that Moscow is ready to assist Tbilisi in its dialogue with Abkhazia and South Ossetia “as states.”
She noted that this proposal is linked to the “recent initiative by the Georgian authorities to apologize to the people of South Ossetia for the war unleashed by Saakashvili’s regime in August 2008.”
Zakharova refers to the statement made by Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder and honorary chairman of the ruling “Georgian Dream,” during a pre-election meeting with voters. Ivanishvili said that the government of Mikheil Saakashvili was to blame for the August 2008 war and the violation of Georgia’s territorial integrity. He did not mention Russia or its invasion of Georgian territory when discussing those events.
Bidzina Ivanishvili promised to hold a “Nuremberg-style trial” for the United National Movement and stated that Georgia should apologize to South Ossetia.
Maria Zakharova stated that “Sukhum and Tskhinval are also ready to turn a tragic page in their history of relations with Georgia,” and Moscow sees the first step toward this as “the beginning of the demarcation of state borders between these three countries.”
Ivanishvili’s statement has faced harsh criticism from experts in Georgia and the opposition, sparking a wave of condemnation on social media.
“The Georgian Dream may be viewing the conflicts from a Russian perspective, which does not align with the national interests of the country and directly serves Russia’s interests,” Gigi Gigiadze, a researcher at the Center for Economic Policy Studies stated.
During his speech at the UN General Assembly in late September, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze addressed the residents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, stating that “they will always be welcomed with open arms on this side of the occupation line.”
What Maria Zakharova said
“The issues of post-conflict settlement between Georgia, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia are being discussed within the framework of the international Geneva discussions on security and stability in the South Caucasus.
Our priorities with our Abkhaz and South Ossetian allies remain unchanged:
- These are legally binding guarantees against the use of force by Tbilisi against Tskhinvali and Sukhumi.
- Additionally, the initiation of the demarcation process for state borders with these republics.
Given the fundamental differences in the parties’ approaches to the geopolitical realities in the region, it is currently impossible to speak of progress on these issues.
We understand that no one has forgotten anything in Georgia, Abkhazia, or South Ossetia. However, remembering and holding onto the past is one thing; moving forward to normalize relations and overcome the obstacles left over from Saakashvili is another,” Zakharova stated.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov previously expressed readiness to “reconcile Georgia with its neighboring countries, Abkhazia and South Ossetia.”
Ahead of the next round of Geneva discussions, Abkhazian Foreign Minister Sergey Shamba stated that “an apology from Georgia for starting the war in Abkhazia in 1992–93 could be the first step toward reconciliation and help resolve the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict.“
