UN Secretary General on 10th Anniversary of Russo-Georgian War

Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, issued a statement on the tenth anniversary of the Russo-Georgian war on August 7, saying the Secretary General recalls that the occasion “is a reminder of the need to resolve this and other protracted conflicts in Europe.”

“This requires increased commitment by the relevant actors, backed by strong political will and a reinvigoration of mediation processes,” Haq noted in the statement.

“The Secretary-General urges all the participants in the Geneva International Discussions (GID) to adopt a constructive, forward-looking approach that would allow this indispensable mechanism to fulfill its mandate,” the statement also reads, urging all concerned sides to “prioritize progress through appropriate dialogue and refrain from divisive policies and unilateral actions that may adversely impact regional peace and security.”

According to the deputy spokesman, António Guterres recalls that while the GID and IPRM meetings have “substantially contributed to strengthening stability in recent years, more should be done on key security and humanitarian issues, including those related to the plight of the many internally displaced persons and refugees.”

“The United Nations will continue to fully support this important mechanism,” Haq also said.

A number of countries have issued statements on the tenth anniversary of the Russo-Georgian conflict, including Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, Ukraine, the UK and the US.

Statements were also issued by the Group of Friends of Georgia, the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

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