Russia doing “its best” to make other states, including China, India, to recognize Georgia’s occupied regions – Karasin

Russia is doing everything to make other countries, including China and India, “move towards the recognition of [currently Russian-occupied Georgian regions of] South Ossetia and Abkhazia,” Grigory Karasin, the Chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the Council of the Russia and the country’s former Deputy Foreign Minister, said while in the occupied Tskhinvali earlier this week to mark the 15th anniversary of Moscow’s recognition of the regions as independent republics back in 2008.  

 

Karasin, who had negotiated trade and economic relations between Russia and Georgia following the decision of the current Georgian Dream Government in 2013 to restore such ties with Moscow, claimed “truly fraternal relations have been established between Russia and South Ossetia (Tskhinvali) over the past years, which are actively developing in all areas based on the principles of alliance and integration”.

 

“Russia has provided and will continue to support South Ossetia in every way in state building, security, economic and social development,” he said.

 

China and India both recognize the territorial integrity of Georgia. At the end of July, Georgia and China published a joint statement on strategic partnership,in which the parties confirmed respect for their sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. 

 

Only Venezuela, Nikaragua, Nauru and Syria have joined Russia’s move in 2008, following its war with Georgia, to recognize the regions as independent states. 

 

The rest of the international community is unanimous that Abkhazia and Tskhinvali are occupied by Russia and urge the latter to meet the August 2008 ceasefire agreement brokered by France and withdraw its troops from the Georgian territory.