The joint Statement by the European Members of the UNSC and Latvia on Georgia was delivered today by Ambassador Ondina Blokar Drobič, Chargé d’Affaires of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Slovenia to the United Nations:

"I am speaking on behalf of the UN Security Council Members Denmark, France, Greece, the United Kingdom and my own country Slovenia, and incoming Security Council Member Latvia.

Seventeen years have passed since Russia`s aggression and subsequent illegal military presence in Georgia`s territories – Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia regions. The Russian invasion of Georgia in August 2008 demonstrated the start of Russia`s more aggressive stance towards its neighbors. Russia has continued down this path with its unprovoked and unjustified aggression against of Ukraine.

We are resolute in our reaffirmation of Georgia`s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We condemn Russia’s brutal invasion and continued illegal military presence in contravention to the UN Charter and exercising of effective control and taking steps toward annexation of the two Georgian regions, including signing of so-called integration treaties, transferring strategically important parts of Georgian territory and infrastructure to Russia and conducting illegal so-called elections.

We reiterate our condemnation of Russia`s continuous provocations, violations of international law and militarization of two Georgian regions including restriction of freedom of movement; unlawful detentions and abductions of the local population; discrimination against ethnic Georgians; prohibition of education in their language, deliberate damage to Georgian cultural heritage; erecting barbed wire fences and establishing unauthorized flights, railway and naval connections between Russia and the Abkhazia region.

We further condemn the killings of Georgian citizens Davit Basharuli, Giga Otkhozoria, Archil Tatunashvili, Tamaz Ginturi, Vitali Karbaia and Irakli Kvaratskhelia. The perpetrators of these crimes must be brought to justice and held accountable.

We recall the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which on multiple occasions confirmed Russia`s responsibility for grave human rights violations, including killing of civilians, torture, inhumane and degrading treatment, and the list goes on.

We also emphasize the issuance of arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes committed against Georgian civilians.

We remain deeply concerned with the fact that Russia has not upheld its obligations under the EU-mediated 2008 Ceasefire Agreement to withdraw its forces to the lines held prior to the outbreak of hostilities nor met its commitments to allow unhindered access for international human rights monitoring mechanisms such as the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights.

We recall the urgent need for safe and unhindered humanitarian access to all persons in need. We stress the importance of protecting the rights and responding to the needs of forcibly displaced persons and refugees, and allowing for their safe and dignified return to their homes.

We remain committed to the Geneva International Discussions (GID), which is the sole format to ensure implementation of the EU-mediated Ceasefire Agreement and return of IDPs and refugees to their homes. We support the work of the European Union Monitoring Mission, the continued meetings of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) in Ergneti, and stress the necessity of immediate resumption of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism in Gali without preconditions and the functioning of both mechanisms in line with ground rules and founding principles.

We call once again on Russia to fully implement the 2008 Ceasefire Agreement and withdraw its forces from the territory of Georgia without delay. We reiterate our 17 years old call to Russia to reverse the recognition of the so-called independence of the two Georgian regions, not to impede the creation of international security mechanisms, and to allow access of international human rights and humanitarian organizations to both regions.

To conclude, we stress the necessity of a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Georgia conflict based on international law, including the UN Charter, and on the Helsinki Final Act", - said the Ambassador.