Wednesday, 24 September 2008The Georgian president has called on UN member states not to recognize breakaway South Ossetia and Abkhazia, proposing a "U.N. conflict resolution process" for the "peaceful reunification of all parts of Georgia."
Speaking at a UN General Assembly session on Tuesday, Mikheil Saakashvili also welcomed the idea of conducting an independent investigation into the causes and effects of the conflict in South Ossetia, and urged all parties concerned to observe the current ceasefire agreement.
"We should unite and follow a policy of non-recognition with regard to the two separatist provinces of Georgia... We need to set up a full fledged process at the UN to resolve the conflict by peaceful means, which will reunite Georgia," he said.
He accused Russia of invading Georgia during the five-day war between the two countries in August, and also of violating its territorial integrity by recognizing the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
U.S. President George W. Bush also accused Russia on Tuesday of violating the UN Charter in the conflict with Georgia over South Ossetia, and said the U.S. would continue to support Tbilisi.
He said Washington would work with its NATO allies and with the European Union to defend Georgia's territorial integrity.
Russia came under strong criticism from Western powers over its military operation "to force Georgia to accept peace," which followed Georgia's August 8 attack on South Ossetia.
Russia recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states on August 26. So far, only Nicaragua has followed suit.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy also singled out Russia for criticism in his speech to the assembly, saying Moscow "cannot compromise on the principle of states' sovereignty and independence, their territorial integrity."
September 24, 2008
RIA Novosti
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Wednesday, 24 September 2008
Caucasus
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