The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia condemns another illegal decision of Russian occupation regime in Tskhinvali and launching the works with the aim to fortify the occupation line adjacent to the village of Atotsi in Kareli Municipality by installing 1 km long artificial barriers.
Through these illegal steps the Russian Federation blatantly violates the fundamental norms and principles of international law and undermines the rules-based international system.
The above illegal actions of Russia aim at further destabilizing the situation on the ground, restricting freedom of movement and isolating the conflict-affected people from the rest of Georgia. Continuation of illegal process of installation of artificial barriers along the occupation line further deteriorates already difficult humanitarian conditions of local population.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls upon the Russian Federation to cease its illegal actions directed against sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, to implement the international obligations undertaken by the 12 August 2008 Ceasefire Agreement and withdraw its military forces from the territory of Georgia.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs appeals to the international community to duly assess the provocative actions of Russia and take effective steps to counter the process of illegal occupation and factual annexation of Georgia’s Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions by Russia.
The Georgian side immediately activated the hotline on this matter and informed the EU Monitoring Mission as well as the Co-Chairs of the Geneva International Discussions from the EU, UN and OSCE. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia will raise the continuation of illegal process of installation of artificial barriers along the occupation line within all relevant bilateral and multilateral international formats.
