The Georgian Foreign Ministry has condemned the ratification by the Russian State Duma of the agreement with the Moscow-backed Tskhinvali authorities “on the procedure of inclusion of separate units of the armed forces of the republic of South Ossetia into the armed forces of the Russian Federation.”
 
It said on January 24 that the ratification “represents another unlawful step by the Russian Federation towards factual annexation of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions of Georgia, in full disregard for the fundamental norms and principles of international law.”

The Georgian Foreign Ministry also noted that through integration of Georgia’s occupied regions into the military system of the Russian Federation, “Moscow blatantly violates the EU mediated 12 August 2008 Ceasefire Agreement, declines to take and respect the commitment on non-use of force and deliberately impedes the establishment of international security arrangements on the ground.”

“By this kind of provocative steps the Russian Federation attempts to hamper the peaceful conflict resolution and potential progress in the Geneva International Discussions. Moreover, Russia’s actions undermine European security architecture and are directed towards destabilization of situation in a wider region,” the statement reads.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry calls on the Russian Federation “to cease its provocations and comply with its international obligations”, and on the international community “to duly assess Russia’s far-reaching aggressive policy and take the effective measures in order to counter the ongoing illegal processes in Georgia’s occupied territories.”