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Georgian Opposition to Syria’s New Leader: Revoke Recognition of Russian-Occupied Regions

Georgia’s four main opposition forces issued a joint appeal to the Syrian authorities, calling on the country’s new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa to withdraw the recognition of Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia as independent states. The letter expressed support for what the signatories described as the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s dictatorship and the transition to new governance in Syria.

“As people of Georgia are fighting peacefully against illegitimate, Kremlin backed dictatorial regime, we the four major democratic parties in Georgia, representing the will of the citizens of Georgia and their aspirations for a free and democratic statehood, would like to address you with the kind request for your engagement to revoke Syria’s recognition of Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia as independent states,” the letter by the opposition forces reads.

The appeal was signed by the UNM-United National Movement, Strong Georgia, Gakharia – For Georgia, and the Coalition for Change. The opposition parties emphasized that Georgia’s occupied regions have only been recognized by a “handful of Russian-backed authoritarian regimes”, including Venezuela and Nicaragua, with Syria following suit in 2018 under Bashar al-Assad’s rule. They urged the new Syrian leadership to reassess its foreign policy decisions made under Assad’s regime.

The letter highlights “the millennia-long” historical ties between Georgia and Syria, stressing that the two nations have long shared mutual cooperation and friendship. The parties argue that reversing Syria’s 2018 recognition of the occupied regions would be a significant step towards strengthening bilateral relations and fostering “truly brotherly and fruitful” ties between the two countries.

This appeal comes in the wake of a major political shift in Syria, where the fall of Assad’s rule has paved the way for a new government under Ahmed Al-Asharaa. Georgian opposition leaders hope that the transition in Syria will provide an opportunity for a diplomatic reset, aligning Syria with the broader international consensus that recognizes Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia as integral parts of Georgia.

GD government has not yet officially commented on the regime change in Syria.

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This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)

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