Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili addressed the participants of the session at the 32nd meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia reports.

In her speech, the Minister noted that Russia continues its illegal occupation of the integral parts of Georgia - Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region - in gross violation of the fundamental principles and norms of international law.

"20% of Georgia's sovereign territory is still occupied and Russia continues its illegal military presence. The consequences of the occupation are grave: ethnic cleansing, gross violations of fundamental human rights, tragic cases of torture and murder, and hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons who have been waiting with hope for decades to return to their homes," said Maka Botchorishvili.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs focused on the policy of peaceful resolution of the territorial integrity of Georgia, and in this context, she emphasized the important role of the Geneva international negotiations, the support of the international community and the existence of monitoring mechanisms in the occupied territories.

“We express our gratitude to our partners for their unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia. It is of utmost importance that the peaceful resolution of the Russia-Georgia conflict be among the top priorities on the agenda of the OSCE and other international organizations,” the Foreign Minister said.

The Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasized the necessity of Russia’s implementation of the August 12, 2008 ceasefire agreement brokered by the European Union.

In her speech, Maka Botchorishvili noted that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has further intensified the threats Georgia faces, especially in the context of the country not being protected by any collective security umbrella and the disinformation campaigns against Georgia’s democratic institutions and processes.

“Georgia continues to strengthen stability by protecting and enhancing the resilience of its democratic institutions, in response to hybrid threats, disinformation and any attempts to undermine our sovereignty,” the Foreign Minister said.

Speaking about the current situation in the region, Maka Botchorishvili noted that “Georgia firmly continues to promote peace and regional cooperation and is ready to work with all partners to ensure the implementation of international law, the protection of sovereignty and long-term peace in the South Caucasus and the OSCE region.”

According to her, the peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan signed in Washington on August 8 is an important cornerstone for ensuring lasting peace in the South Caucasus and creates a solid foundation for new opportunities for long-term stability and development in the region.

"Let me take this opportunity to welcome the historic peace agreement - "On the Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia", which was reached in Washington through the mediation of the President of the United States," the Foreign Minister said.

In her speech, Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili reaffirmed Georgia's commitment to the principles of the OSCE.