GEORGIA TO DEMAND FROM RUSSIA USD 40 BILLION FOR DAMAGE
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
17.02.2010 15:56 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgia intends to sue Russia for the damage
estimated in tens of billions dollars which, according to Tbilisi,
Moscow has caused by its actions in Abkhazia and South Ossetia since
the early 1990-ies.
Georgia intends to prove the guilt of Russia in international courts
not only in the events of August 2008, but also in provoking the
Georgian-Ossetian and Georgian-Abkhazian conflicts after the collapse
of the Soviet Union.
According to the georgian media ("News Time" newspaper), a temporary
parliamentary commission on restoration of territorial integrity,
headed by Shota Malashkhia, was ordered to calculate the amount of
the damage. According to him, a state commission will be established
soon to double-check the calculations, and then make claims and deal
with relevant international organizations.
According to MP, the damage caused before 1998 has been calculated,
it amounts to USD 20 billion. The compensation includes the alleged
damage caused by activities of Russian companies in Abkhazia and
South Ossetia. Claims have already been made to the Strasbourg Court
of Human Rights about the loss of property by Georgian refugees.
The South Ossetian armed conflict broke out in August of 2008 between
Georgia on one side, and Russia, with unrecognized republics of South
Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other.
On the night of 8 August 2008 (0:06 a.m.), Georgia launched a
large-scale military attack of the capital of South Ossetia Tskhinval
and adjacent territories. In several hours Georgian armored units and
infantry attached the city. The official casus belli, as the Georgian
side claims, was the violation of the cease-fire by the South Ossetia,
which claims that Georgia was first open fire.
On August 8 2008 (at 2:59 p.m.) Russia officially came down on
the side of South Osetia in the frame of the operation aimed at
compelling Georgia to peace. On August 9, 2008 Abkhazia joined the
conflict under the military assistance agreements between the members
of the Commonwealth of Unrecognized States. On August 12, 2008 Russia
officially announced the successful completion of the operation aimed
to force Georgian authorities to peace, on August 13, 2008 Abkhazia
officially announced the completion of the operation to oust Georgian
troops from the Kodori Gorge, after which active hostilities ended.
Between August 14 and 16, 2008 leaders of the states involved in
hostilities, signed a peace plan for settling the Georgian-South
Ossetian conflict ("Medvedev-Sarkozy plan").Georgia does not regard
the conflict settled, explaining that Russia failed fulfill the
signed agreements.