Russia says it has ‘no leverage’ to secure release of illegally detained Georgian citizens in occupied regions

Russia says that it will not get involved in the release of illegally detained Georgian citizens in the Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge. 

Agenda.ge, 01 Jul 2021 - 15:34, Tbilisi,Georgia

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko says that the release of illegally detained Georgian citizens Zaza Gakheladze, Irakli Bebua and others in the Georgian Russian-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) and Abkhazia regions ‘is not up to us.’ 

The issue should be resolved by Georgia and the Abkhaz and South Ossetian governments,” Rudenko said yesterday, during the 53rd round of the Geneva International Discussions on Georgian conflict issues. 

Rudenko stated that ‘he is surprised’ why people are detained for ‘illegally crossing the border’ when there ‘are borders between Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia’ and people are able ‘to cross them legally.’ 

Russia and representatives of de facto Abkhaz and Tskhinvali authorities once again left the section of the discussions which concerns the return of Georgian IDPs to their homes in the regions.

Russia said that prior to the Geneva Discussions, Georgia submitted a ‘politicised resolution’ to the UN General Assembly on the return of IDPs and refugees. 

It is impossible to discuss the issue in the Geneva format when Abkhazia and South Ossetia still do not have representatives in the UN General Assembly,” Russia says. 

The next round of Geneva International Discussions will take place in early September.

Russia also said that ‘for regional security’ it is important for Georgia to sign a non-use of force agreements with the ‘Abkhaz and South Ossetian governments.’ 

Russia says that signing the agreement is important amid the US’s and NATO’s activeness in the Black Sea basin. 

Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Lasha Darsalia said that the eight-hour discussions ‘were complicated.’ However, he said that he is optimistic that humanitarian and political issues will be separated after the meeting. 

I can not go into details now. However, I feel optimistic for humanitarian issues following the 53rd round of the discussions,” Darsalia said. 

The Geneva International Discussions format, which was launched after the Russia-Georgia 2008 war, concerns humanitarian and security issues. 

In its judgement earlier this year the European Court of Human Rights said that Russia is exercising effective control on Tskhinvali and Abkhazia regions and is responsible for the violation of human rights of Georgian citizens. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.

The discussions are co-chaired by the EU, UN and OSCE, while Georgia, Russia, de facto Abkhaz and Ossetian authorities and the US participate in them. 

The Georgian Foreign Ministry says that the major issues of the 53rd round of discussions were the release of illegally detained Georgian citizens in the occupied regions, the annexation of the party of the village of Aibgha in occupied Abkhazia by Russia, creeping occupation, erection of illegal barriers by occupation forces, severe humanitarian situation in the occupied regions, imposing illegal movement restrictions, as well as the return of IDPs and refugees to Abkhazia and Tskhinvali. 

  • Russia recognised the two Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali as independent countries after the Russia-Georgia 2008 war. 
  • Since then only Venezuela, Nikaragua, Nauru and Syria joined Russia in the recognition, while the rest of the international community are calling upon Russia to withdraw its forces from the Georgian territory. 
  • Currently there are more than 283,000 IDPs in Georgia from Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions.