Moscow calls for “non-use of force” deal between Tbilisi, de facto regions as occupiers kill Georgian citizen

The Russian Foreign Ministry has reaffirmed its calls to Tbilisi to sign a non-use of force agreement with the de facto authorities of its currently Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions following the murder of Georgian citizen citizen Tamaz Ginturi by Russian-controlled occupation forces earlier this month. 

 

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikheil Galuzin had discussed the incident with co-chairs of the Geneva International Discussions on Georgia’s conflict issues, and claimed the latter emphasized the need to work “more intensively” with official Tbilisi to prevent escalations in the “Georgia-South Ossetia border zone”. 

 

“In the context of efforts to strengthen security on the ground, the Russian side again emphasized the importance of developing a legally binding agreement on the non-use of force between Tbilisi on the one hand and Sukhumi and Tskhinvali on the other. Also on the start of the process of delimitation of Georgia’s borders with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, with their further demarcation,” it said. 

 

Tbilisi has reiterated many times that signing the agreement meant the recognition of its occupied regions as independent states and called on Russia to withdraw its troops from the country’s territory.