Georgian FM says path to conflict resolution must be “unequivocally peaceful”

Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili on Wednesday addressed the ongoing occupation of two Georgian regions by Russia, stressing that the situation had persisted for decades, particularly intensifying after the 2008 war.

In her remarks at a panel discussion on the sidelines of the international conference Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, Botchorishvili noted that Russia had failed in its attempts to gain international recognition for the occupied territories as “independent states” thanks to the mobilisation of the international community by the Georgian Government.

She stressed the importance of upholding the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty, highlighting that these principles form the foundation of the international order.

“Georgia is a small country in the South Caucasus region that has a problem with territorial integrity. Two regions of Georgia are still occupied by Russia, which maintains a military presence there, and this is the current situation that has been going on for decades, especially after the 2008 war with the Russian Federation, after which Russia recognised Abkhazia and South Ossetia as “independent states”. However, they did not succeed in terms of the recognition policy, because we managed to mobilise the international community”, the Foreign Minister said.

“It is very important for everyone, including us, to protect international law and its principles. Thus, territorial integrity and sovereignty remain very important principles that we must protect and always remember that these principles are the foundation of the international order. We continue to use all international formats and forms to talk about this and resolve the conflicts in the South Caucasus that threaten the security of the entire region. At the same time, we state very loudly and clearly that the way to resolve conflicts must be unequivocally peaceful”, she continued.

She also highlighted the importance of peaceful conflict resolution and mentioned the Geneva International Discussions format, which includes the EU, UN, OSCE, and the US, alongside Georgia and Russia.

While acknowledging the complexity and prolonged nature of the process, the Minister expressed confidence that the issue would be resolved in the future, emphasising its importance for the entire region and European security.