Government calls Russian actions an ‘obvious intervention’
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Monday, March 3
The Georgian Government assessed the developments in Crimea as “obvious intervention and direct, illegal interference in the issues of an independent country.” High-ranking Georgian officials as well as opposition members have made special statements. The parliamentary minority United National Movement members call the Georgian Government’s statements “timed” and appeal to the ruling team to be stricter in their assessments. The minority also demands holding a special parliamentary sitting only over Ukrainian issues.
Russia has declared its decision to deploy additional troops in Crimea on the pretext of protecting the lives of its citizens, until the situation is normalized. Russian Parliament supported the President’s appeal over the Crimea.
“The decision, which in fact amounts to the launch of aggression against sovereign and independent Ukraine, ironically by Russia, which, along with the United States of America and Great Britain, is the guarantor of Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and inviolability of borders under the Budapest Memorandum dated 5 December 1994,” Georgian Foreign Ministry statement reads.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry called on the international community to take speedy measures to prevent escalation of the situation. “It exactly follows the pattern in which Russia launched its aggression in Georgia, which had disastrous consequences for the country,” the ministry states.
The ministry stresses that that Russian actions poses a serious threat to regional security and once again points to the importance for Russia to undertake a non-use of force commitment with respect to Georgia, and the necessity of immediately carrying out international security measures. Otherwise, instability may spread from Ukraine to the entire region and entail dire consequences for all.
Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili states that Russian actions are a clear violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and international law. According to him, this situation escalates the turbulent situation even further and may entail grievous consequences.
“The international community, especially the European Union and the United States of America, must use all efforts to prevent the violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Gharibashvili states.
President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili shares the vision that current processes in Crimea have taken a very alarming turn.
The president claims that the decision taken by the Russian Federation to issue Russian passports on the territory of a different country, to reinforce military infrastructure, as well as announcing about protecting the “interests of their compatriots” residing on the territory of Ukraine by means of military forces, is a “rough intervention” in domestic affairs of a sovereign state, which “contradicts” fundamental documents of UN and OSCE, “ignores” the basic principles of international law and “threatens” the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
The UNM has made a joint statement. The UNM appeals the Georgian Government to make stronger statements concerning Ukraine and to hold consultations with their Ukrainian counterparts on how Georgia can assist to its brother nation. They also asked for a special parliamentary sitting and adopting the resolution supporting the Ukraine, which, according to them, faces military aggression.
Head of the European Research Centre, political analyst, Kakha Gogolashvili, states that Putin wanted to get the mandate over the Crimea from the parliament “to put pressure on the current government of Ukraine and to use the federation’s forces immediately if it is needed.”
Gogolashvili stated that very serious economic pressure would be used against Russia from the developed world for its actions in Crimea. “The economic sanctions will affect Europe as well. However, the EU and the United States will use them anyway,” Gogolashvili states. He admits that the Georgian Government’s attitude towards the Ukrainian issues is right, “as it seems the government is waiting for the international reaction and only after will say its final word,” Gogolashvili suggests.
Head of the Elections and Political Technologies Research centre, Kakha Kakhishvili, believes that it would be a positive step if either President or PM visit Ukraine as a sign of support.
