The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Sergey Lavrov, stated that if the parties are interested, Russia is prepared to assist in normalizing relations between Georgia and its "neighboring countries," Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
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At the closing press conference of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Lavrov was asked for his comments on recent statements by Georgian officials claiming that Mikheil Saakashvili initiated the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, and whether he considers it possible to reach any new agreement between Georgia and the de facto republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
"It is obvious that the current leadership of Georgia evaluates the past with honesty. They have expressed a desire for historic reconciliation. In what form this can occur is up to the countries themselves - Abkhazia and South Ossetia. They are neighbors of Georgia. Any contact is inevitable. If there is interest on all sides to normalize these relations and establish non-aggression pacts so that no one will ever want to... If the parties are interested, we will be ready to help," Lavrov stated.
Regarding the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, the Russian diplomat noted, "The fact that Mikheil Saakashvili started the war was known to everyone, except perhaps his Western colleagues and the President of Georgia, Mrs. Salome Zourabichvili." According to Sergey Lavrov, the statements from the representatives of the Georgian authorities are not surprising.
Responses from the occupied Tskhinvali region followed. The head of the so-called Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Ossetia, Akhsar Jioev, stated, "Since August 2008, Russia's position regarding South Ossetia has remained unchanged."
"Russian partners are doing everything possible to facilitate the negotiation process in the Geneva discussions format, aiming to reach agreements between Georgia, South Ossetia, and Abkhazia, including the signing of a document on the non-use of force. In fact, Minister Lavrov emphasized this once again," Jioev added.
As the so-called Minister of Foreign Affairs of the occupied Tskhinvali noted, any relationship with Georgia is based on the "current status of the recognized state."
On September 14, at a pre-election event in Gori, the honorary chairman of Georgian Dream, Bidzina Ivanishvili, remarked, “as soon as the October 26 elections are over, when the instigators of the war are put on trial and when all criminals receive the strictest legal verdict for the destruction of the Georgian-Ossetian brotherhood and coexistence, we will surely find the strength within ourselves to apologize for the fact that the treacherous National Movement, under the mandate, burned our Ossetian brothers and sisters in 2008”.
