Speaker Papuashvili welcomes growing support for UN resolution on Georgian IDPs

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has welcomed increased international backing for a United Nations resolution on internally displaced persons and refugees from Georgia's occupied territories, saying the result demonstrated continued support for the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, Papuashvili praised the work of Georgia's Foreign Ministry following the adoption of the resolution by the UN General Assembly with the support of 107 member states.

"It is important that the Foreign Ministry once again worked effectively at the United Nations," he said. "The resolution has more co-sponsors than before and received support from 107 countries."

The resolution on internally displaced persons and refugees from Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia) was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 4 June.

Papuashvili also highlighted the significance of maintaining a stable number of abstentions, saying it was important that countries had not shifted towards opposing the resolution.

The parliament speaker said the vote demonstrated that international legal norms continue to carry weight, despite growing challenges facing the global rules-based order.

He argued that confidence in international law and international institutions had come under pressure in recent years and criticised what he described as the limited ability of the United Nations to fulfil its role in enforcing international rules and resolving conflicts.

At the same time, Papuashvili said the support shown by individual states for the resolution underscored the continued prominence of issues related to Georgia's territorial integrity, sovereignty and the right of displaced persons to return to their homes.

"The support expressed by states shows that the issues of Georgia's territorial integrity, sovereignty and the return of internally displaced persons remain high on the international agenda," he said.