Kobakhidze: Benefits of peace and economic development must not be hindered by artificial dividing lines

The benefits of peace and Georgia’s economic development must not be hindered by artificial dividing lines, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said in his address to the General Debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Kobakhidze said that 20% of Georgia’s territory remained occupied by the Russian Federation, while hundreds of thousands of Georgian citizens were still internally displaced and unable to return to their homes.

“One of the central themes of this year’s session is restoring trust, and against this backdrop, I would like to address our Abkhaz and Ossetian brothers and sisters,” the prime minister said.

Kobakhidze stressed that the benefits of peace and Georgia’s economic progress should also extend to people living in the country’s occupied historical regions.

“For centuries, we have shared one homeland and a common history. The dividing lines drawn today can neither erase that history nor determine the future of our children.

“We believe that the benefits of peace and Georgia’s economic development must not be hindered by artificial dividing lines. People living in our occupied historical regions must also be able to enjoy these benefits, as they have been and will always remain an integral part of our shared future,” Kobakhidze said.