YEREVAN OPPOSES TBILISI-BACKED UN RESOLUTION ON IDPS

AssA-Irada
September 10, 2009 Thursday
Azerbaijan

Armenia has voted against a United Nations resolution on displaced
persons from Georgias unrecognized republics of Abkhazia and
South Ossetia. According to the Georgia Online news website, the
neighboring South Caucasus republic was among 19 countries opposing
the Tbilisi-backed resolution. 48 countries voted for the document
and 78 UN members abstained.

The resolution asserted the rights of all refugees and IDPs, regardless
of their ethnic affiliation, to return to their homes in Georgia,
including those in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. It also said it was
necessary to draw up a timetable for a voluntary and safe return of all
displaced people affected by conflicts. Russian ambassador to the UN,
Vitaly Churkin, maintained prior to the vote that the resolution was
politically motivated and demanded stopping discussions on the issue
and preventing it from being put on voting. But the demand was not
met, and the UN General Assembly confirmed that Abkhazia and South
Ossetia are Georgian territories. Last Thursday the Russian Foreign
Ministry slammed the project as "counterproductive," saying that it
ignored the post-war reality of the two new independent states in the
Caucasus. In May 2008 the General Assembly passed a similar resolution,
referring only to Abkhazia, with 14 "yes" votes against 11 "no" votes.

Analysts say the outcome of the UN vote clearly shows that separatism
trends are condemned worldwide and draws a real picture about
countries opposed to supporting the territorial integrity of other
states, as well as indicates which states are friendly to Russia
and which ones favor the West. Besides Armenia, the opponents of
the resolution included Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan,
Russia, and Serbia, while the supporters included Azerbaijan,
Austria, Canada, Chili, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, and the United States. Georgian President
Mikheil Saakashvili has welcomed the adoption of the resolution. He
also said Moscow has sustained a diplomatic defeat. We recall that
a brief war erupted between Russia and Georgia in South Ossetia in
early August 2008. Georgia launched large-scale military operations
to restore its territorial integrity. Moscow retaliated by sending
troops to the pro-Russian region, which struck at the Georgian armed
forces. A ceasefire was, subsequently, reached on August 17 with
Frances mediation. On August 26, Russia recognized the independence of
South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Only Nicaragua and Venezuela had followed
suit in acknowledging the regions’ independence.