Ambassador: Georgia torn apart by Russia's actions rather than internal conflicts

After the war in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the international community realized that Georgia was torn apart by Russia's actions which were aimed at strengthening the country’s influence over one of the former Soviet republics, rather than internal conflicts, Georgian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Teimuraz Sharashenidze said at a press conference.

"Today, Georgia uses every effort to find international peacekeepers in the buffer zones and occupied territories", he said. "But Russia prevents this."

Military actions were launched in the unrecognized republic of South Ossetia in August 2008. Georgian troops entered Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia, and later Russian troops occupied the city and drove the Georgian military back to Georgia.

Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on Aug. 26 and established diplomatic relations with the regions on Sept. 9, 2008.

The diplomat said that the history of the conflict says that as soon as Georgia got a chance to integrate into European institutions, Russia has done everything to prevent this.

"Russia's aggression continues now," he said. The military bases are being built on the occupied territories. Their contingent is being increased. The territories are fully militarized. Russia also conducts subversive activities on the territory of Georgia."

He said that Georgia's all peace initiatives remain unanswered. The Geneva negotiations can be the example. They gave no results.

At present, all the European institutions urge Russia to de-occupy Georgian territories, but Moscow ignores these calls.

Answering the question about the Russian military base in Armenia, Sharashenidze said that of course, any base of other country in the region represents a danger.


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