US Senate resolution on Russia's occupation of Abkhazia fuels Georgia'

MOSCOW, August 2 (Itar-Tass) -- U.S. Senate's resolutions on Russia's
alleged "occupation" of Abkhazia and South Ossetia fuels revanchist
sentiments in Tbilisi, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander
Lukashevich said on Monday, commenting on the Senate resolution on Gerogia.
"The new resolution on Georgia passed by the U.S. Senate on July 29
looks like a stuck record," he said. "It contains the entire set of
cliches and stock phrases about alleged 'infringement on Georgia's
territorial integrity and sovereignty' so often heard from Washington in
the past three years. Naturally, the subject of the so-called 'occupation'
was also raised."
According to Lukashevich, the Russia foreign ministry "more than once
had to explain that it is absurd to use this term in this particular
context."
"There is not a single Russian servicemen in Georgia," the Russian
diplomat stressed. "There are Russian military contingents in the region,
but they are deployed on the territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia,
i.e. states officially recognized by Russia as sovereign after Mikhail
Saakashvili's criminal military venture in August 2008." More to it,
"Russian army units, and units of the Russian border service are staying
there under relevant interstate agreements between Russia and these
independent states, i.e. with their open sanction," he noted.
"Generally speaking, the basic factor, from the point of view of
international law, to recognize an occupation regime is one state's
effective control over the territory of another state and civilians living
there, which means the installment of occupation authorities instead of
local ones," he said. "Russian army units however have replaced legitimate
authorities neither in Abkhazia nor in South Ossetia. Neither Russia's
authorities nor Russian army units have ever issued any normative acts
mandatory to the local population."
"It means that allegations that Abkhazia and South Ossetia are
occupied by Russia have neither actual nor legal grounds," Lukashevich
emphasized. "Pronouncements by U.S. Senators on this subject only prove
their illiteracy in the area of international law or their flagrant
disdain for actual facts."
"All this proves that this resolution is nothing more than a populist
exercise undertaken with the only purpose of putting in an appearance on
the 'Georgian topic,'" the Russian diplomat said.
"Such statements however are not harmless," he warned. "They are
feeding revanchist sentiments characteristic of Tbilisi's policy, they
seek to justify and encourage Georgia's reluctance to speak with Sukhum
and Tskhinval on mutually respectful equal terms."
"But the key to peace, stability and prosperity in the region lies in
establishing such dialogue. It should be born in mind, for American
Senators as well," Lukashevich concluded.