International Reactions to Transfer of Occupied Abkhazia’s Bichvinta Dacha to Russia
On December 27, at a special session held at 6 a.m., ahead of the previously declared date and time, the de facto Parliament of occupied Abkhazia ratified the agreement on the transfer of the Bichvinta (the so-called “Pitsunda state dacha”) to Russia for a 49-year lease [ed.- the residence and its dependencies cover the land plot of 4 sq. Km]. The opponents of the law have been protesting against the decision since December 26.
Civil.ge collected the international reactions.
United States
“We condemn the illegitimate attempts to transfer land in the occupied Georgian territory of Abkhazia to Russia,” Mattew Miller, Spokesperson for the United States Department of State said. “Russia’s ongoing occupation of 20 percent of Georgia’s territory undermines Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The United States continues to call on Russia to uphold its obligations and commitments in the 2008 ceasefire agreement and UN Charter.”
European Union
“EU fully supports territorial integrity & sovereignty of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders,” the EU mission in Georgia wrote on Facebook. “Any decision undermining territorial integrity of Georgia, such as attempt to transfer land in occupied breakaway region of Abkhazia to Russia is illegal, null & void.”
EU Countries
“France supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders,” Sheraz Gasri, Ambassador of France to Georgia tweeted. According to her, “any decision undermining the territorial integrity of Georgia, such as the attempt to transfer land in Abkhazia to Russia, is illegal, null and void.”
“Romania supports the territorial integrity of Georgia and does not recognize the transfer to the Russian Federation of the Bichvinta/Pitsunda territory,” the Embassy of Romania in Georgia wrote on Facebook.
According to the Estonian Embassy in Tbilisi, the country “strongly condemns the illegitimate decision by the so-called parliament of the occupied Abkhazia to transfer Bichvinta/Pitsunda to Russia,” adding that “Estonia supports Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders and calls on Russia to fulfill its obligations and commitments under the 2008 ceasefire agreement and its implementing measures.”
According to the Czech Ambassador to Georgia, Petr Kubernat, “Czechs have always supported and continue to support Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. Therefore, we consider any transfer of land in Picunda (Bichvinta) in Abkhazia to Russia to be a violation of this, and we consider any such decision to be null and void.”
“We strongly condemn the illegal appropriation of Georgian territory of Pitsunda/ Bichvinta by the Russian Federation,” Polish Embassy in Tbilisi wrote on Facebook, adding that These actions are a clear violation of the norms of international law. Poland fully supports Georgia’s territorial sovereignty within its internationally recognised borders.”
“We strongly condemn the illegal transfer to Russia of the Bichvinta holiday retreat located in Russian-occupied Abkhazia. This is a clear violation of Georgia’s sovereignty, as well as a breach of the UN charter and international law at large,” Gabrielius Landsbergis, Foreign Minister of Lithuania is quoted by the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
More to follow…
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