Adopting Resolution Recognizing Right of Return for Georgia’s Displaced Persons, Refugees, General Assembly Underlines Implementation Timetable Needed
The General Assembly today adopted the latest in a series of resolutions recognizing the right of return of all internally displaced persons and refugees and their descendants to their homes throughout Georgia, also underlining the need to develop a timetable towards this end.
By a vote of 100 in favour to 9 against, with 59 abstentions, it adopted the text “Status of internally displaced persons and refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia, and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, Georgia” under its agenda item on protracted conflicts in the “GUAM” area, which comprises Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and the Republic of Moldova.
By the resolution, the Assembly called on all participants in the discussions that began in Geneva in 2008 to intensify their efforts to establish a durable peace and underlined the urgent need for unimpeded access for humanitarian activities to all internally displaced persons, refugees and others residing in all conflict-affected areas throughout Georgia.
Introducing the text, that country’s representative underscored that the draft resolution “is of purely humanitarian character”, noting that his delegation deliberately decided to focus on humanitarian issues to avoid any political speculation when the fundamental rights of displaced persons are at stake. “The text of the resolution remains unchanged because its provisions continue to be unfulfilled,” he observed, calling on those present to stand up for universally recognized rights until the resolution’s provisions are fully implemented.
However, the speaker for the Russian Federation — who requested the vote — said that the text is a purely political product, like its predecessor. Its goal is to prevent normalization of the situation in the region and the establishment of good neighbourly relations between Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Georgia. He voiced regret that Georgian diplomacy and an established group of support countries are introducing the text year after year at the expense of practical steps to resolve humanitarian problems in the region.
The representative of Australia, also speaking for Canada and New Zealand and supporting the text, voiced concern that international human rights organizations are denied access to Abkhazia and South Ossetia and that the latter’s authorities continue to push out the region’s administrative boundaries. The Russian Federation is creating instability in Georgia, he pointed out, stressing that this is part of a trend of Moscow’s repeated aggression against its neighbours — including its illegal, immoral invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s delegate, meanwhile, stressed that the international community must put an end to the Russian Federation’s imperialistic attempts to conquer and occupy its neighbours. All Russian-occupied territories — including those in Ukraine, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova — “must and will be liberated”, she stressed, which will allow for internally displaced persons and refugees to safely return home.
Similarly, the representative of Lithuania — also speaking for Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Norway and Sweden, noted that Georgia’s territorial integrity continues to be violated by the Russian Federation. Welcoming the international community’s growing awareness of the need to address forcible displacement, he said that today’s text reconfirms the need to continue working to protect and assist those who have been forcibly displaced and unable to exercise their fundamental right to safe, dignified return for more than a decade.
Speaking after the vote, Brazil’s delegate said that, while his country abides by Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and does not recognize the independence of breakaway provinces, the General Assembly should abstain from influencing sensitive issues under consideration in relevant negotiations in Geneva. Expressing hope that the situation can be resolved in a peaceful manner, he encouraged all actors to create favourable political conditions for the safe return of internally displaced persons and to seek durable solutions to avoid further escalation of tensions.
The General Assembly will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 8 June, to elect members of the Economic and Social Council and take action on a draft resolution relating to the International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms.
Protracted Conflicts in GUAM Area
DAVID BAKRADZE (Georgia) introduced the draft resolution titled “Status of internally displaced persons and refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia, and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, Georgia” (document A/77/L.73). He pointed out that the text’s main purpose is to address the humanitarian plight of those internally displaced persons and refugees who were forced to flee their homes as a result of multiple waves of ethnic cleansing that started in the 1990s and culminated with the full-scale military aggression against Georgia in August 2008. “We have been adopting the resolution before you for the past 15 years,” he noted, stating this is due to time-tested adherence to the universally recognized principles enshrined in the text. Underscoring that the draft resolution “is of purely humanitarian character”, he said that such humanitarian focus was a deliberate decision by his delegation to avoid any political speculation when the fundamental rights of displaced persons are at stake. The text is not against any party, nor does it aim to point fingers at those responsible for the forced displacement. “The text of the resolution remains unchanged because its provisions continue to be unfulfilled,” he observed, calling on those present to stand up for universally recognized rights until the resolution’s provisions are fully implemented.
MITCH FIFIELD (Australia), speaking also on behalf of Canada and New Zealand, said the General Assembly must address the forced demographic changes from the conflicts at the end of the Soviet Union and the war with the Russian Federation in 2008. Voicing concern that international human rights organizations are denied access to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, he called on all parties to ensure entry for those organizations and their access to people in need. Pointing to the deterioration of human rights in those two regions, he called on all participants to accelerate efforts to achieve a sustainable peace. He expressed disappointment that the Ceasefire Agreement that ended the 2008 Russian-Georgian war has not been implemented and voiced concern that authorities in South Ossetia continue to push out the region’s administrative boundaries. The Russian Federation is creating instability in Georgia, he pointed out, stressing that this is part of a trend of the Russian Federation’s repeated aggression against its neighbours, including its illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine.
RYTIS PAULAUSKAS (Lithuania), also speaking for Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Norway and Sweden, expressed unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders. Noting that Georgia’s territorial integrity continues to be violated by the Russian Federation, he recalled that Moscow’s responsibility for grave human rights violations committed while in effective control of illegally occupied Georgian territory was confirmed by the European Court of Human Rights. Perpetrators of such violations must be held accountable, he stressed, welcoming that the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court applied to issue arrest warrants for suspects bearing individual criminal responsibility for the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the Russian Federation’s war against Georgia in 2008.
He went on to support the Geneva International Discussions but expressed regret over the constant lack of engagement therein on the part of the Russian Federation and participants from Tskhinvali and Sukhumi. Welcoming the international community’s growing awareness of the need to address forcible displacement, he said that today’s resolution reconfirms the need to continue working to protect and assist those who have been forcibly displaced and unable to exercise their fundamental right to safe, dignified return for more than a decade. He added that, given the lack of progress on the ground and the need for continuous United Nations engagement, the countries for whom he speaks — as in previous years — will vote in favour of the text, calling on all Member States to do the same.
SHINU MITSUKO (Japan) affirmed her countries’ support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. Her country has exerted all the efforts to provide humanitarian, financial, food and recovery and reconstruction assistance to Ukraine and its neighbour and other countries, she said. It is also committed to supporting Georgia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova and their efforts to tackle various challenges caused by ongoing and protracted conflicts, including by providing assistance for internally displaced persons and refugees. Voicing support for the resolution, she said it embodies an important value of the Charter of the United Nations and reflects Member States’ collective commitment to upholding the rule of law.
THOMAS PATRICK PHIPPS (United Kingdom) pointed out that Georgia has been under continuous hybrid attack by the Russian Federation since the 2008 war that saw the effective annexation of 20 per cent of Georgian territory. Russian troops and border guards remain stationed in the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia — some as close as 35 minutes from the Georgian capital. Welcoming Georgia’s ongoing compliance with the 2008 European Union-mediated ceasefire agreement, he called on the Russian Federation to immediately fulfil its clear obligations to withdraw its forces to pre-conflict positions; to allow unfettered access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance; and not to impede the creation of international security arrangements on the ground. He also called on Moscow to reverse its recognition of the so-called independence of Georgia’s Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions and to end all practices aimed at “creeping annexation” of those territories. Adding that his country has long supported this annual resolution, he urged all Member States to vote in favour of the text.
JEFFREY DELAURENTIS (United States) called on the Russian Federation to cease its recognition of the so-called independence of the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, fulfil its obligations under the 2008 ceasefire agreement to withdraw its forces to pre-conflict positions, and allow and facilitate unhindered access for humanitarian organizations. The Russian Federation and the de facto authorities in Abkhazia and South Ossetia must take immediate steps to respect human rights in those regions and cease construction of barriers along the administrative boundary lines. They must also create security conditions conducive to the voluntary, safe, dignified, and unhindered return and reintegration of internally displaced persons and refugees, he added. Voicing alarm at the increase in ongoing and urgent conflict-driven crises involving human rights violations, he encouraged the United Nations to strengthen its vision for improving protection and assistance for internally displaced persons. The Organization should also create incentives for development and peacebuilding actors and affected States to increase their efforts to meet the needs of internally displaced persons and refugees, he said.
KHRYSTYNA HAYOVYSHYN (Ukraine), aligning with the statement delivered by Lithuania and the one to be delivered by the European Union, noted that the Russian Federation still refuses to abide by international law and withdraw its military and security forces from sovereign Georgian territories. Underlining the need to provide protection and assistance to Georgians who have been forcibly displaced as a result of Moscow’s military aggression, she said that today’s resolution addresses the issue of protracted displacement. It is an opportunity for Member States to reiterate their commitment to the fundamental right of all internally displaced persons and refugees to safe, dignified return. Ukraine will vote in favour of the resolution, she said, stressing that the international community must put an end to the Russian Federation’s imperialistic attempts to conquer and occupy its neighbours. All Russian-occupied territories — including those in Ukraine, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova — “must and will be liberated”, she added, which will allow for internally displaced persons and refugees to safely return home.
BJÖRN OLOF SKOOG, Head of the Delegation of the European Union, in its capacity as observer, affirmed the bloc’s commitment to supporting peacebuilding and conflict resolution in Georgia, including through its co-chairmanship of the Geneva International Discussions and the European Union Monitoring Mission. Voicing concern about human rights violations in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia, he called for the guaranteed full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to support conflict-affected populations. He stressed the importance of the right of refugees and internally displaced persons to choose a durable solution, including a voluntary, safe and dignified return, as well as of being able to exercise property rights, and voiced regret that no progress has been achieved on those issues.
He called upon the participants in the Geneva International Discussions to engage in a genuine dialogue on the various displacements that took place over the past three decades, as well as partial returns, with a view to enhancing their protection, and to seek pragmatic approaches and durable solutions including further returns. Noting the Georgian Government’s efforts to find durable housing solutions for internally displaced persons and to promote their socioeconomic integration, he encouraged it to reinforce inclusion and prioritization of such persons in national development plans, and to make further efforts to improve their living conditions and livelihoods.
Explanation of Vote before the Vote
The representative of Venezuela, speaking in explanation of vote before the vote, expressed concern over the trends of using the General Assembly to attack full-fledged members of that body and, worse still, of seeking to use the Assembly as a platform to adopt resolutions that lack consensus. He called on the proponents of the draft resolution to avoid politicized approaches and to instead foster confidence-building measures as a constructive approach to this matter. He also expressed hope that — in the interest of peace — such trends in the General Assembly will be corrected and that decision-making based on consensus can be fostered regarding matters of common interest to the international community.
The representative of the Russian Federation, also explaining his vote before the vote, said the current text, like its predecessor, is a purely political product aiming to speculate on the fates of thousands of Georgians, Abkhazians, Ossetians and citizens of other nationalities who suffered because of Georgian authorities’ aggressive policies. Its goal is to prevent normalization of the situation in the region and the establishment of good neighbourly relations between Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Georgia, he added, voicing regret that Georgian diplomacy and an established group of support countries are introducing the text year after year at the expense of practical steps to resolve humanitarian problems in the region. Pointing to its negative impact on the Geneva discussions, he stressed: “It is time for Georgia to opt for constructive discussion on humanitarian issues instead of baseless and pointless attacks on Sukhum and Tskhinvali in international fora.” His delegation is requesting a vote on the draft resolution and will vote against it, he said, urging delegations opposed to the politicization of the Assembly not to support it.
Action on Draft Resolution
The Assembly then adopted “L.73” by a recorded vote of 100 in favour to 9 against (Belarus, Burundi, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Sudan, Syria and Zimbabwe), with 59 abstentions. Through the resolution, the General Assembly recognized the right of return of all internally displaced persons and refugees and their descendants — regardless of ethnicity — to their homes throughout Georgia, “including in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia”. Further, the Assembly stressed the need to respect the property rights of all internally displaced persons and refugees affected by the conflicts in Georgia and reaffirmed the unacceptability of forced demographic changes. Among other provisions, it also called on all participants in the Geneva discussions to intensify their efforts to establish a durable peace and underlined the need to develop a timetable to ensure the voluntary, safe, dignified and unhindered return of all internally displaced persons and refugees affected by the conflicts in Georgia to their homes.
Explanation of Vote after the Vote
The representative of Brazil, speaking in explanation of vote after the vote, said that the General Assembly should abstain from influencing sensitive issues under consideration in relevant negotiations in Geneva. Brazil abides by Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and does not recognize the independence of breakaway provinces. Expressing hope that the situation can be resolved in a peaceful manner, he encouraged all actors to create favourable political conditions for the safe return of internally displaced persons and to seek durable solutions to avoid further escalation of tensions. Further, he called on all parties concerned — particularly Georgia and the Russian Federation — to pursue dialogue and cooperation.