YouSaid · the spoken record

Tsiskarashvili

lines on the record

34

first

2008-05-27

most recent

2011-11-09

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6

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un-security-council

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1. “Earlier today, Georgia and Russia signed a package of documents that pave the way for Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization. We hope that Russia can demonstrate the same level of pragmatism it has shown during these talks when it is faced with resolving other bilateral issues, first and foremost the right of more than 400,000 men, women and children to return to their homes in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region in safety and dignity. One of the purposes of today's debate is to see the international community more engaged in addressing all of the relevant challenges. In conclusion, I wish to underline that Georgia fully supports and encourages the continued efforts of the international community in making the protection of civilians a reality for all of those who are caught up in conflict.”

   2011-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6650Resumption1 (2011) · source

2. “Although the Charter of the United Nations authorizes us to do so, Georgia has renounced military means in order to restore its territorial integrity. The relevant letters have been sent to the Secretary-General and to other international organizations, but instead of a reciprocation to that gesture of peace, the response we have received has come in the form of the illegal installation of an additional military contingent, missiles and rockets in the occupied regions. We believe that the geopolitical ambitions of one particular country cannot stand in the way of international efforts aimed at easing the plight of those suffering from forced displacement and ethnic cleansing. Although the topic I will touch on is not technically part of the debate, it may affect the issues I have highlighted.”

   2011-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6650Resumption1 (2011) · source

3. “The practices of forced displacement, denial of property rights and other massive, gross and systematic human rights violations continue to occur there. Safe and unhindered access of humanitarian actors to people in need of protection and assistance is another important element. Regrettably, the occupying Power, in clear violation of the six-point agreement, has continued to block the access of humanitarian aid and international humanitarian actors to the Tskhinvali region. Clearly, the denial of the access of humanitarian personnel to victims of conflict amounts to a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. Almost a year has passed since Georgia announced the non-use-of-force commitment.”

   2011-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6650Resumption1 (2011) · source

4. “The August 2008 war has had devastating consequences for civilians, especially for those who have been ethnically cleansed from two regions of my country, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region. Since our previous statements in the Council, nothing has changed on the ground with regard to civilians living under occupation in these territories. At least 20 per cent of sovereign Georgian territory remains under illegal foreign occupation in violation of the six-point ceasefire agreement brokered by France on behalf of the European Union. Hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons and refugees continue to suffer. They are denied their right to return to their homes and villages - a right referred to numerous times in this very Chamber.”

   2011-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6650Resumption1 (2011) · source

5. “Georgia welcomes this open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. I take this opportunity to commend the Portuguese delegation's efforts in convening this important meeting. More than 10 years have passed since the first debate was held in the Security Council on this issue, yet armed conflicts still affect millions of persons who are deprived of basic necessities and who are vulnerable to violations of their rights, displaced from their homes, targeted through indiscriminate attacks and other violations. In many cases, the principal victims of armed conflicts are women and children. The United Nations must protect the dignity of each and every one and uphold the rights of all those who have been affected by conflicts. It goes without saying that we need to do more at the international, regional and national levels.”

   2011-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6650Resumption1 (2011) · source

6. “All those violations are duly reflected in the findings of the International Independent Fact-Finding Mission on the Conflict in Georgia, led by the Swiss diplomat Heidi Tagliavini. Moreover, the Russian Federation's decision to recognize the so-called independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia was considered a serious breach of international law by the international Fact-Finding Mission. Finally, the illegal military presence of Russia and its effective control of the occupied territories of Georgia make the Russian Federation an occupying Power, and all the responsibility for the situation in the occupied territories lies with Russia.”

   2011-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6479Resumption1 (2011) · source

7. “Russia needs to start living up to its obligations under international law. By continuing the policy of violating Georgia's territorial integrity, by breaching the 12 August 2008 ceasefire agreement, by further 11-23198 militarizing the occupied regions, by rejecting all offers of dialogue and by pursuing aggressive military rhetoric against Georgia, Russia will hardly manage to change the perception of my country that Russia is a hostile State. I would like here to remind representatives that Russia committed military aggression against Georgia in 2008. It continues to occupy 20 per cent of Georgia's territory. Russia committed ethnic cleansing of ethnic Georgians in 2008.”

   2011-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6479Resumption1 (2011) · source

8. “The Russian Federation attempts to downplay the importance of the pledge of non-use of force made by the President of Georgia on 23 November in the European Parliament, and later reinforced in the letters to the heads of various international organizations, including the Secretary-General. The pledge of Georgia not to use force against the Russian occupying forces and the proxy regimes in the name of restoring Georgia's territorial integrity remains an international legal obligation of Georgia no matter how Russia tries to downplay its significance. Georgia is seriously committed to pursuing a peaceful agenda towards its occupied regions, as exemplified by the calls to engage in dialogue with Russian authorities, as well as with the populations of the occupied regions.”

   2011-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6479Resumption1 (2011) · source

9. “My delegation hopes that all the views, proposals and individual experiences expressed during today's debate will be adequately followed up and translated into concrete action, which can strengthen peace, security and development worldwide.”

   2011-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6479Resumption1 (2011) · source

10. “To this end, Georgia has undertaken the unilateral obligation not to use force and thus contribute to facilitating the establishment of secure conditions in the occupied territories. Moreover, in order to assist human development in those regions of Georgia, the Government adopted the State Strategy on Occupied Territories: Engagement through Cooperation and a subsequent action plan, which envisage development and improvement in all fields of social life. We believe these decisions and commitments will inevitably contribute to the process of securing peace and stability in Georgia and will peacefully challenge the existing status quo established by the use of force. Obviously, these efforts should advance in concert with the international community's strong engagement.”

    2011-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6479Resumption1 (2011) · source

11. “Lack of security, a general atmosphere of chaos and lawlessness, ethnically-based and other gross human rights violations, as well as thriving organized crime in the occupied territories of Georgia, have an overall harmful effect on all major aspects of the national development agenda, especially within the occupied territories themselves. Economic and social development, general healthcare, natural resource management, environment protection and other areas are challenged. The ongoing occupation and continuing violation of the ceasefire agreement by the occupying Power make it enormously difficult to bring these disturbing developments to an end. Nevertheless, these dire conditions can in no way serve as an excuse for Georgia to just settle with blame-shifting and to give up efforts to move forward.”

    2011-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6479Resumption1 (2011) · source

12. “Interdependence is evident; development contributes to greater security and security creates an environment conducive to development. In this context, many speakers today have comprehensively described examples of how development issues impact the core aspects of peace and security. Georgia could not add more, but subscribes to the positions expressed by the other delegations. At the same time, we are convinced that special attention has to be paid in our deliberations to the impact of an insecure environment on the development agenda. It is crystal clear that instability and volatility have harmful effects on all aspects of national development agendas. My country is a vivid example of this.”

    2011-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6479Resumption1 (2011) · source

13. “Georgia commends Brazil's timely initiative in organizing this open debate, which is aimed at addressing one of the most challenging matters before the United Nations. We are also grateful for the incisive concept paper prepared by the presidency of the Council (S/2011/50). While Georgia has aligned itself with the statement made by the Acting Head of the delegation of the European Union, I would like to take this opportunity to stress some additional points. My delegation shares the view of the entire United Nations family that security and development, along with human rights, are inseparable and mutually reinforcing notions. It is obvious that no development agenda can be fully realized in the presence of security restrictions and that, vice versa, genuine security will never be achieved without a development.”

    2011-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6479Resumption1 (2011) · source

14. “Finally, let me reassure the Council that Georgia supports the efforts of the entire United Nations family to prevent, and eventually eradicate, violence against women.”

    2010-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6453Resumption1 (2010) · source

15. “The documented cases unequivocally prove the involvement of occupying forces from a neighbouring country and its proxies in serious violations of women's rights, including sexual violence and humiliating treatment, among the other instruments of ethnic cleansing that we have witnessed on the occupied territories of Georgia since the early 1990s. Even today, the rights and freedoms of Georgian women are jeopardized in the occupied territories of Georgia. Human rights watchdogs and international missions are banned from monitoring the humanitarian and human rights situation in the occupied territories. As a result, this situation, which has deteriorated, remains off the United Nations radar. The continuation of the current state of affairs cannot be tolerated by the international community.”

    2010-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6453Resumption1 (2010) · source

16. “Regrettably, the war in Georgia in August 2008 was no exception in that sense. It resulted in the gross violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including violence against women. Due to the sensitive nature of the crime, rapes are frequently underreported, especially in war. Nonetheless, the rape, torture and mutilation of ethnic Georgian women were by registered by various international and non-governmental organizations, including the independent fact-finding mission headed by Swiss diplomat Heidi Tagliavini.”

    2010-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6453Resumption1 (2010) · source

17. “Despite some achievements and the fact that the issue of women's rights and peace and security has been on the agenda of the Security Council and other relevant United Nations institutions for a decade, we all recognize that serious challenges remain in transforming those positive developments into tangible results. Indeed, women and children are the worst- affected segment of populations in modern conflicts, in which they are influenced by the degradation of their living conditions and fundamental rights. The violation of the rights of women is one of the principal characteristics of various conflicts across the world in both conflict and post-conflict situations. Unfortunately, 10 years since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), the plight of women and girls in armed conflict is still dire.”

    2010-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6453Resumption1 (2010) · source

18. “At the outset, let me join previous speakers in commending you, Madame, for organizing this open debate on a very important matter. Georgia aligns itself with the statement delivered by the representative of the European Union earlier in the debate. Georgia welcomes the adoption of resolution 1960 (2010) and is proud to be its co-sponsor. We also welcome the establishment of UN Women and the appointment of Ms. Bachelet as the first leader of that body. We are convinced that, under her able leadership, there will be firm progress in solving problems that are on the women and peace and security agenda.”

    2010-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6453Resumption1 (2010) · source

19. “This resolution represents a powerful manifestation of the will of the international community to stand up for the rights of all who continue suffer the consequences of armed conflict. Here, I would like to stress that Georgia continues to support the efforts of the United Nations and its agencies to alleviate the suffering of civilians on the ground. Let me assure the Council that my country stands ready to work with the international community in addressing current challenges and ensuring genuine progress in this field.”

    2010-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6427Resumption1 (2010) · source

20. “I would like once again to draw the Council's attention to the problem of humanitarian access to the Tskhinvali region of Georgia, where the occupying Power continues to block humanitarian aid and international humanitarian actors and demands that the region be entered exclusively from its own territory. This policy represents yet another clear infringement of the principles of international humanitarian law, as well as of paragraph 3 of the European Union-brokered ceasefire agreement of 12 August 2008 and paragraph 4 of General Assembly resolution 64/296 on the status of internally displaced persons and refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia, and the Tskhinvali region, Georgia, of 7 September 2010.”

    2010-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6427Resumption1 (2010) · source

21. “We believe that such violence must be seen as a fundamental violation of the right of every individual to life and development, and universally condemned. Resolution 1894 (2009), adopted a year ago, reaffirmed the need to focus on the issue of humanitarian access. The very same message has been reiterated in the Secretary-General's most recent report on the protection of civilians in armed conflict (S/2010/579), in which the Secretary-General suggests that humanitarian access is the fundamental prerequisite for humanitarian action. A similar message has been delivered by Mr. Walter Kalin, Representative of the Secretary-General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, in his reports on Georgia and its occupied regions.”

    2010-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6427Resumption1 (2010) · source

22. “Since our last address, nothing has changed on the ground. Ethnicity-based and other gross and massive violations of human rights law and humanitarian law happen on a daily basis. The population continues to suffer from insecurity and discrimination; living under the threat of expulsion, forced conscription and passportization; losing their ethnic identity; and being denied their right to property and education in their mother tongue, not to mention the impact of conflict and violence, especially on the younger generation. Moreover, the authorities in effective control have taken measures to deprive these individuals of their right to free movement across the administrative borderline, which has turned into an occupation line.”

    2010-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6427Resumption1 (2010) · source

23. “Every situation where civilians suffer from violence caused by armed conflict requires more attention from the international community. I would like to take this opportunity to inform the Security Council that Georgia recently became a party to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. By doing so, Georgia reaffirmed its strong commitment to consolidated international efforts aimed at protecting the rights of children affected by armed conflicts worldwide. Every time the opportunity arises to discuss this important matter in open debate here in this Chamber, my delegation provides the Council with detailed information on the situation concerning civilians living under foreign occupation in two regions of my country, Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region.”

    2010-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6427Resumption1 (2010) · source

24. “Let me join previous speakers in thanking you, Mr. President, for organizing today's open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict and for giving us this opportunity to address the Security Council. Georgia fully aligns itself with the statement of the European Union. More than a decade has passed since the Council began deliberating this important subject. Throughout the past 11 years, the Council has adopted six resolutions and eight presidential statements on the protection of civilians, but unfortunately these measures are not sufficient. Civilians continue to be severely impacted by armed conflicts around the world. The deliberations of the Security Council clearly indicate the need to further strengthen the protection of civilians through compliance with the norms of international humanitarian and human rights law.”

    2010-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6427Resumption1 (2010) · source

25. “This policy represents yet another breach of the principles of international humanitarian law, as well as of paragraph 3 of the European Union-brokered ceasefire agreement of 12 August 2008. Notwithstanding the protests of numerous international organizations against this discriminatory policy, the policy persists. The blockade turns the territory into a black hole, where people are deprived of their basic rights and where humanitarian aid is simply not allowed. The continuation of the current state of affairs cannot be tolerated by the international community. In conclusion, let me assure the Council that my country stands ready to work with the international community in order to ensure that real progress in protection of civilians becomes a reality.”

    2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source

26. “These deplorable provocations coincided with the eighth round of talks in Geneva, where the European Union, the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe are trying to facilitate a dialogue between the parties to achieve a peaceful solution of the problem. The previous rounds in Geneva showed nothing but the unwillingness of our northern neighbour to engage itself in a substantive dialogue. I would like to draw the Council's attention to the problem of humanitarian access to civilians in need of assistance. In the Tskhinvali region of South Ossetia, the occupying forces continue to block access for humanitarian aid and international humanitarian actors, which obliges missions to enter the Tskhinvali region exclusively from the territory of the Russian Federation.”

    2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source

27. “Ethnicity-based violations and other gross and massive violations of human rights law and humanitarian law happen on a daily basis. During the past several days alone, four Georgian teenagers, aged 14 to 16, were kidnapped from a village located near the occupation line and charged with terrorist activity. Earlier today, in addition, five citizens who happened to be fishing in Georgian territorial waters controlled by the central Government were kidnapped on charges of so-called illegal fishing and are being held in custody. Only a couple of days ago, 16 men were released after being arrested for simply cutting down trees in a forest that is, again, close to the occupation line.”

    2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source

28. “Five months ago, we all had an opportunity to address this matter at an open debate here in this Chamber (see S/PV.6151 (Resumption 1)). At that time, my delegation provided the Council with detailed information on civilians living under foreign occupation in two regions of my country, Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region of South Ossetia. We also offered a rationale for the actions of one permanent member of Council, which consecutively vetoed the presence of two international monitoring missions in Georgia. Unbiased and qualified international monitors would have provided a clear assessment of the situation on the ground. Once again, the veto of one permanent member led to the failure to create an objective source of information for the international community. Since our statement five months ago, nothing has changed.”

    2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source

29. “At the outset, on behalf of my delegation, I wish to express my gratitude to the Austrian presidency of the Security Council for this opportunity to address an issue that, unfortunately, reflects problems in many parts of the world. I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome the statement by the Secretary-General on this subject. While Georgia has aligned itself with the statement made by the Swedish representative on behalf of the presidency of the European Union, I would like to take this opportunity to stress some additional points. The recent developments in my country confirm that when a State is in constant breach of norms of international humanitarian law and voluntarily accepted international commitments, the result is human suffering and ethnic cleansing.”

    2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source

30. “Here, I would like to stress the leading and principal role of the Security Council in addressing the outstanding issues related to the peaceful solution of the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia, and would like to underline the importance of Council resolution 1808 (2008) and the recently adopted General Assembly resolution 62/249, which addresses in a comprehensive manner the issues related to the IDPs and refugees. I want to thank you again, Sir, for giving me this opportunity to address the Security Council today on this very important matter.”

    2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source

31. “In recent years we have witnessed frequent violations of the Georgian population's constitutional right to vote. Just recently, we observed the persecution of religious freedom: the de facto local authorities expelled a Georgian Orthodox priest from the Gali district after he was banned from holding services. For more than a decade we have observed the fundamental rights of civilians in the conflict zone of my country being increasingly targeted and challenged. It is distressing to see how members of the spontaneously returned population have become victims of physical and psychological violence on a daily basis. That circle of violence can be stopped only through joint international efforts.”

    2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source

32. “Their fundamental rights are consistently violated. It is inadmissible that houses and other property belonging to IDPs and refugees of all ethnicities have been sold to new owners. Unfortunately, some have illegally acquired private and public properties on the territory of Abkhazia, Georgia, and this process is still going on. We believe that the international community must condemn those unlawful actions and treat them accordingly. The Government of Georgia has recently launched a State programme to collect data on the property of IDPs and refugees left in Abkhazia, Georgia, and this process is under way. The young generation of returnees is deprived of one of their most fundamental rights: studying in their mother tongue, as the de facto regime prohibited Georgian as an instruction language at schools in the Gali district.”

    2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source

33. “Hundreds of thousands of my compatriots still remain outside of Abkhazia, Georgia, and since their forceful displacement, they have been willing to return to their homes of origin for more than 15 years now. The expelled population is forced to live in crowded temporary shelters or other similar accommodations. The United Nations, and particularly the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, has been involved in negotiations to secure the prompt and safe return of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their homes, but unfortunately those efforts have not met with a positive response by the de facto regime. The spontaneous return of (IDPs) and refugees has occurred only in the Gali district of Abkhazia, Georgia. But those who returned put themselves at great risk.”

    2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source

34. “At the outset, allow me to express my appreciation to the United Kingdom mission to the United Nations for convening this meeting in order to discuss this very important issue. The delegation of Georgia fully associates itself with the statement made by the Slovenian presidency of the European Union. While discussing this critical issue, I would like to draw the attention of the members of the Security Council to the intolerable situation of the civilian population forcibly displaced due to the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia. For the past 15 years, our people and Government have dealt with the consequences of the protracted conflict on the territory of Georgia.”

    2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source