President at PACE: next stage for Georgia is full membership of int’l community
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has delivered her speech at PACE earlier today. Photo: PACE press office.
Tweet 
Share
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has stated at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe that the next stage for Georgia is to become a full member of the international community by having a voice in global issues.
She stated earlier today in Strasbourg that “Georgia has succeeded to turn itself from a post-soviet state, into an emerging, ever stronger and vibrant democracy.”
Zurabishvili has tweeted:
The next stage is for Georgia to become a full member of the international community by having a voice in global issues. Human rights, environmental rights are crucial for Georgia, for the world. pic.twitter.com/uLl8NdDFxv
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) January 28, 2020
In her speech delivered at the assembly Zurabishvili said that 12 years since the Russia-Georgia war 20 per cent of the Georgian territories remain occupied, with Russia and its controlled de facto authorities creating ‘severe humanitarian situation’ on the ground, ‘violating fundamental human rights.’
She stated that the efforts of the Georgian government to settle conflicts peacefully are responded by continued threats, erection of new barriers and creation of problems for the local population by Russia.
Zurabishvili said that the Geneva International Discussions on Georgian conflict issues “are politically stalled,” while Incident Prevention Mechanisms “are rarely successful” in solving technical, conflict-related issues.
Salome Zourabichvili, President of Georgia meets Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić, discussing good progress of the Georgian Presidency @coe, the importance of the CoE report on the conflict, the reconciliation process through Confidence Building Measures @MFAgovge ???????? pic.twitter.com/aUndv3WLjS
— Daniel Holtgen (@CoESpokesperson) January 28, 2020
Both instruments are marked with constant walk-outs, as soon as important issues are raised. No progress or prospects seems to be expected from the existing formats. They have to be empowered to receive a new political input, to become formats for solving conflict, not merely managing them.”
She stated that international organisations have adopted ‘numerous resolutions’ to express their support for Georgia.
But we need more! We need engagement of all and we are ready to do our part, in order to find ways to a solution that will reintegrate our country and ensure freedoms for all our citizens,” Zurabishvili.
During the speech Zurabishvili said that freedom of speech and expression “is guaranteed by the Georgian constitution and is fully enforced,” as well as the freedom of media.
President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili announced today that she is paying close attention to the developments in the Russian-occupied region of Abkhazia. State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili spoke of the situation in Sokhumi as well.
Georgia joined Lithuanian and Latvian delegates at PACE yesterday who have challenged Russia’s regaining of its voting right last year which it lost for the annexation of Crimea back in 2014.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani has delivered his first speech at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) as the head of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE), stating that consolidated, international pressure against Russian illegal activities in Georgia and other countries must continue.“Situation in the Russian-occupied Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali has become worse."
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili calls on the international community “to react with all possible means” to the detention of Georgian doctor and traumatologist Vazha Gaprindashvili, who was sentenced to two-month pretrial detention by Russian-controlled occupation forces yesterday.
Secretary General of the Council of Europe (CoE) Marija Pejcinovic Buric said at a news briefing with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili in Strasbourg earlier today that Georgia’s presidency of the CoE Committee of Ministers “is progressing well”. "I welcome all the works done by Georgia to promote and strengthen our values and standards and to raise awareness of the Council of Europe in the country but also in the South Caucasus area as a whole”, she stated.
United States Ambassador to the OSCE James Gilmore said in his address to the OSCE Permanent Council earlier today that “Georgia’s leadership of the important European organisation” demonstrates its contributions to the international community. "Foreign Minister [David] Zalkaliani, the United States warmly welcomes you to the Permanent Council as the representative of Georgia's Presidency of the Council of Europe”, he said.
President Salome Zurabishvili says that 'we might want to think about new steps to be taken and new positions to present with our partners or with Russia'. However, she states that these must not be the steps of concession or adoption to occupation. Delivering her annual speech at parliament earlier today, Zurabishvili said that any issue, which will not and should not be forcibly settled, ‘needs carriage, reason, advancement [through drawing red lines] and unity to be settled.’