Credit: Gary Raynaldo  /  Karen Van Vlierberge (Belgium)  makes statement on behalf of the United States and the European Union members of the United Nations  Security Council on the situation in Georgia- Security Council Media Stakeout (08 August 2019) at UN world headquarters New York. 

By Gary Raynaldo    DIPLOMATIC TIMES

UNITED NATIONS    –   NEW YORK –   The United States, France, Belgium, Germany, Britain, Poland, and Estonia Thursday urged Russia to withdraw from Georgia, a country in the Caucasus that Moscow invaded in 2008. The UN Security Council held a closed briefing on the Russia-Georgia situation today on the 11th anniversary of the deadly conflict. During the five-day conflict, 170 servicemen, 14 policemen, and 228 civilians from Georgia were killed and 1,747 wounded. Sixty-seven Russian servicemen were killed and 283 were wounded, and 365 South Ossetian servicemen and civilians  were killed. The conflict centered on South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two “breakaway provinces” in Georgia. They are officially part of Georgia, but have separate governments unrecognized by most countries. Abkhazia and South Ossetia are supported by Russia.

“We regret that little progress has been made on conflict resolution since the signing of agreement of Aug 12 and 8 Sept 2008. We firmly support Georgia independence , sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. Today we call again on the Russia Federation to fully implement her obligations under agreements of 12 Augyst 2018, and 8 September 2018,  which  include commitments to ensure that arm forces withdraw to positions held before hostilities began.”

-Statement by Karen Van Vlierberge, Deputy Permanent Representative (Security Council) of Belgium to the United Nations, on the situation in Georgia , on behalf of France, United States, Poland, Britain, Estonia, Germany, Aug. 8, 2019. 

DIPLOMATIC TIMES Video /  Media briefing after UN Security Council hearing on Russia-Georgia situation Aug. 8, 2019. 

Credit: Gary Raynaldo /    Jürgen Schulz, Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations- Karen Pierce, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations – Anne Gueguen, Deputy Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations – Joanna Wronecka, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Poland to the United Nations – Jonathan R. Cohen, Acting Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations – Gert Auväärt, Deputy Permanent Representative of of the Republic of Estonia to the United Nations, at media briefing after UN Security Council hearing on Russia-Georgia situation Aug. 8, 2019.