Tbilisi proceeds with “successful” non-recognition policy of occupied regions despite Moscow’s attempts – Kobakhidze

Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday responded to the latest claims by Grigory Karasin, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Council of Russia that the Kremlin was taking actions to make other countries, including China and India, to recognize Georgia’s two occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) as independent states, and said “regardless such statements”, Tbilisi was proceeding with its “successful, non-recognition policy” of the regions. 

 

“We have heard such statements over the years. The main thing for us is that Tbilisi has been successfully implementing the non-recognition policy for all these years, and the number of the states have not increased that have recognized the so-called independence of the regions thanks to the Government’s efforts”, Kobakhidze said. 

 

The official claimed he did not know why Moscow had named China when Georgia signed a strategic partnership with the country earlier this year. 

 

“I don’t know, I don’t want to delve into this topic at all. Of course, the strategic partnership with China is a great achievement, and of course, everything will be done to further deepen the cooperation with China in all directions”, he said. 

 

Only four countries – Venezuela, Nikaragua, Nauru and Syria – have joined Russia’s move in 2008, following its war with Georgia, to recognize the Georgian 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.