Olegs Ilgis (Latvia) on behalf of others on the situation in Georgia - Joint Security Council Media Stakeout

Okay, good afternoon, distinguished media, press representatives, ladies and gentlemen. I'll be delivering joint statement of the UN Security Council members following close consultations, AOB point on Georgia. I'm speaking on behalf of the UN Security Council members. Denmark, France, Greece, United Kingdom, my own country Latvia, and incoming Security Council members Austria and Portugal. Eighteen years have passed since Russia's aggression and subsequent illegal occupation of Georgia's sovereign territories of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali South Ossetia regions. The Russian invasion of Georgia in August 2008 demonstrated the start of Russia's more aggressive stance towards its neighbors. Russia has continued down this path with its unprovoked and unjustified aggression against Ukraine and reckless and dangerous actions against its neighbors. We are resolute in our affirmation of Georgia's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We condemn Russia's brutal invasion and continued illegal military presence in contravention of the UN Charter and exercising of effective control and taking steps towards annexation of the two Georgian regions, including signing of the so-called integration treaties, the latest so-called treaty on deepening allied cooperation signed on May 9th, 2026 between Russia and the de facto authorities of the occupied Vali, South Ossetia region, immediate steps taken for its implementation and appointment of Russian citizen as a leader of Georgia's sovereign territory, transferring strategically important parts of Georgian territory and infrastructure to Russia, and conducting illegal so-called elections. We welcome the decision by the Republic of Nauru to withdraw its recognition of the so-called independence of Georgia's Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions. We call on all states that have recognized or established relations with these entities to follow this example and to respect Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We reiterate our condemnation of Russia's continuous provocations, violations of international law, and militarization of two Georgian regions, including restrictions of freedom of movement, unlawful detentions, and abductions of the local population; discrimination against ethnic Georgians; prohibition of education in their language; deliberate damage to Georgian culture heritage; erecting barbed wire fences; and establishing unauthorized flights, railway, and naval connections between Russia and Abkhazia region. We further condemn the killings of Georgian citizens David Basharuli, Giga Otchodzoria, Archil Tatanashvili, Tamas Ginturi, Vitali Karbai, and Irakli Karavadzhehilia. The perpetrators of these crimes must be brought to justice and held accountable. We recall the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, which on multiple occasions confirmed that given Russia is in effective control of the Georgia, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia regions, it is responsible for grave human rights violations, including killing of civilians, torture, inhumane and degrading treatments, And the list goes on. We urge Russia to implement those rulings. We also emphasize the issuance of arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes committed against Georgian civilians. We remain deeply concerned by the fact that Russia has not upheld its obligations under the EU mediated 2008 ceasefire agreement to withdraw its forces to the lines held prior to the outbreak of hostilities, nor met its commitments to allow unhindered access for international human rights monitoring mechanisms such as the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights. We recall the urgent need for safe and unhindered humanitarian access to all persons in need. We stress the importance of protecting the rights and responding to the needs of internally displaced persons and refugees, and allowing for their safe and dignified return to their homes. We remain committed to the Geneva international discussions. which is the sole format to ensure implementation of the EU mediated 2008 ceasefire agreement and return of the IDPs and refugees to their homes. We support the work of the European Union monitoring mission and call on Russia to enable access to the mission to Georgia's Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions as per its mandate. We support the continued meetings of the incident prevention and response mechanism in Ergneti, and stress the necessity of immediate resumption of the incident prevention and response mechanism in Gali without preconditions, and the functioning of both mechanisms in line with ground rules and founding principles. We once again call on Russia to fully implement the 2008 ceasefire agreement and withdraw its forces from the territory of Georgia without delay. We reiterate our 18 years old call to Russia to reverse the recognition of the so-called independence of the two Georgian regions, not to impede the creation of international security mechanisms, and to allow access of international human rights and humanitarian organizations to both regions. To conclude, we stress the necessity of the peaceful resolution of the Russia Georgia conflict based on international law, including the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act. I thank you.