Janelidze, UN Secretary-General Discuss Developments in Occupied Territories

Georgia’s Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister, Mikheil Janelidze, met with the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in Geneva on Monday.

Recent developments in Georgia’s occupied regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia were the key issues of the meeting.

Janelidze paid special attention to the death of Archil Tatunashvili, who died on February 23 in breakaway S.Ossetia, after being kidnapped by the occupant forces the previous day.

The Georgian Minister stressed the importance of the prompt reaction from the international community, including the UN. He provided the UN Secretary-General with the details of the death of Archil Tatunashvili, and stated that this is yet another tragic fact since the murder of another Georgian citizen Giga Otkhozoria, killed in May 2016 by so called border guards of occupied Abkhazia.

Janelidze stressed that Tatunashvili’s death yet again demonstrates the gravity of the security and human rights situation inside Georgia’s occupied regions, and the necessity of establishing international security mechanisms on the ground.

António Guterres said he is aware with the challenges facing the occupied regions of Georgia. The Secretary-General emphasized the importance of the peace policy in conflict resolution, and expressed full support to this process.

The UN Secretary-General also mentioned the necessity of the revitalization of the Geneva International Discussions and further enhancement to the format.

Guterres reiterated the UN’s continuous active engagement in the peaceful resolution of the conflict through the UN Special Representative in the Geneva International Discussions.

Besides the issues of occupied regions, Georgia’s achievements in democratic development were also discussed by the officials.

Janelidze informed the Secretary-General about the Government’s initiatives and priorities within the Open Governance Partnership.

By Thea Morrison