Menu
Latest
Menu
Latest
Commentary

Is there a growing sense of urgency in Georgia to de-occupy Abkhazia and South Ossetia?

17 February 2023
Giorgi Arziani

In a recent interview with Bloomberg on 1 February, Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili for the first time stated that the diplomatic settlement to end the Russian Federation's full-scale war against Ukraine should include the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which have been under Russian control for 30 years.

She called for the Georgian issue to be put on the negotiating table, asserting that a resolution to the Russia-Ukraine war cannot be achieved without Russia's retreat from all the occupied territories.

President Zourabichvili highlighted the need for Russia to "learn where its borders are" and underscored the importance of the Western world making sound decisions. She emphasised that following the anticipated defeat of Russia in Ukraine, the Russian Federation will be obliged to return not only the occupied territories to Ukraine, but also returning occupied territories to Georgia. The President cautioned that if the West fails to demand a full withdrawal of Russian troops as part of surrender terms, it would be making a grave error akin to the mistakes made in 2008 and 2014.

Zourabichvili's call is a significant departure from previous positions

The President's call for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgian territories comes at a time when tensions between Georgia and Russia remain high. In 2008, Russian troops invaded Georgia and occupied one-fifth of its territory, leading to the Russian Federation's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states, which have not been recognized by the international community. The Russian military claimed that the operation was aimed at "forcing peace".

It is worth noting that President Zourabichvili's recent call for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgian territories represents a significant departure from the Georgian government's previous position on this issue. The ruling Georgian Dream party has traditionally been more cautious on this matter, and the president's statements may reflect a growing sense of urgency among Georgians to end Russia's long standing occupation, particularly in light of Russia's faltering offensive in Ukraine.

This marks the first time in recent memory that a high-ranking Georgian official has expressed such a strong stance on the issue of de-occupation, suggesting a possible shift in the country's approach to the issue.

source: Giorgi Arziani is founder of Tbilisi School for Social Research, also known as the Library about Georgia, a non-profit public policy organisation based in Tbilisi, Georgia. Its mission is to conduct in-depth research that leads to evidence-based solutions for the de-occupation, modernisation and democratic development of Georgia.
photo: agenda.ge
The views expressed in opinion pieces and commentaries do not necessarily reflect the position of commonspace.eu or its partners

Related articles

Editor's choice
News
UAE says it will withdraw from Yemen, but division emerges in Yemeni presidential council
Trending

UAE says it will withdraw from Yemen, but division emerges in Yemeni presidential council

31 December 2025
In a move seen as an attempt to de-escalate a crises with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, on Tuesday (30th December) announced that it was heeding a call to withdraw its troops from Southern Yemen. UAE says that its presence included counter-terrorism teams that were crucial in fighting against Islamist groups. UAE sources said that parts of Yemen not controlled by the Houthis have had Al Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula (AQAP) operatives using the territory to launch attacks on Europe, the US and Middle East. UAE teams have co-ordinated with American and British special forces and intelligence. The sources added that Emirati forces and their Yemeni allies also helped reverse Houthi gains in the south. including the liberation of Aden port. The small UAE contingent has remained in place since the UAE withdrew most of its military personnel in 2019. The leading English-language newspaper in Abu Dhabi, The National, said that the main UAE force was based at Riyan Mukalla International Airport, with access to fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, but also operated smaller contingents in the port town Balhaf and Shabwa. "It is understood it also flew a number of drones from the airbase that were able to track terrorist movements, pass information back to its allies and assisted special forces' missions." Meanwhile a division has emerged in Yemen's presidential council after four members denounced what they called the 'unilateral decisions' by the chairman. Four of Yemen’s eight Presidential Leadership Council members on Tuesday denounced an announcement by the council’s chairman accusing him of breaching the governing agreement. Tension between Yemeni leaders has been rising for weeks, underscoring the fragility of the country's already fractured political landscape and further complicating efforts to confront the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The latest rift took an unprecedented turn on Tuesday morning, marked by a Saudi-led coalition “limited operation” striking combat vehicles Riyadh linked to the Southern Transitional Council, which has three members in the PLC. The PLC Chairman, Rashad al Alimi, on Tuesday said that he was seeking to cancel the joint defence agreement with the UAE. “What has been issued … constitutes a clear violation of the Declaration of the Transfer of Power [agreement], which explicitly stipulates that the Presidential Leadership Council is a collective body whose decisions are taken by consensus, or by majority when consensus is not possible,” the statement by the four members said. “It does not, under any circumstances, allow for unilateral decision-making on sovereign, military, or major political matters." The statement was signed by STC chief Aidarous Al Zubaidi, Faraj Al Bahsani, Tariq Saleh and Abu Zaraa al Muharrami. (click the picture to read the full article).

Popular

Editor's choice
News
UAE says it will withdraw from Yemen, but division emerges in Yemeni presidential council
Trending

UAE says it will withdraw from Yemen, but division emerges in Yemeni presidential council

31 December 2025
In a move seen as an attempt to de-escalate a crises with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, on Tuesday (30th December) announced that it was heeding a call to withdraw its troops from Southern Yemen. UAE says that its presence included counter-terrorism teams that were crucial in fighting against Islamist groups. UAE sources said that parts of Yemen not controlled by the Houthis have had Al Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula (AQAP) operatives using the territory to launch attacks on Europe, the US and Middle East. UAE teams have co-ordinated with American and British special forces and intelligence. The sources added that Emirati forces and their Yemeni allies also helped reverse Houthi gains in the south. including the liberation of Aden port. The small UAE contingent has remained in place since the UAE withdrew most of its military personnel in 2019. The leading English-language newspaper in Abu Dhabi, The National, said that the main UAE force was based at Riyan Mukalla International Airport, with access to fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, but also operated smaller contingents in the port town Balhaf and Shabwa. "It is understood it also flew a number of drones from the airbase that were able to track terrorist movements, pass information back to its allies and assisted special forces' missions." Meanwhile a division has emerged in Yemen's presidential council after four members denounced what they called the 'unilateral decisions' by the chairman. Four of Yemen’s eight Presidential Leadership Council members on Tuesday denounced an announcement by the council’s chairman accusing him of breaching the governing agreement. Tension between Yemeni leaders has been rising for weeks, underscoring the fragility of the country's already fractured political landscape and further complicating efforts to confront the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The latest rift took an unprecedented turn on Tuesday morning, marked by a Saudi-led coalition “limited operation” striking combat vehicles Riyadh linked to the Southern Transitional Council, which has three members in the PLC. The PLC Chairman, Rashad al Alimi, on Tuesday said that he was seeking to cancel the joint defence agreement with the UAE. “What has been issued … constitutes a clear violation of the Declaration of the Transfer of Power [agreement], which explicitly stipulates that the Presidential Leadership Council is a collective body whose decisions are taken by consensus, or by majority when consensus is not possible,” the statement by the four members said. “It does not, under any circumstances, allow for unilateral decision-making on sovereign, military, or major political matters." The statement was signed by STC chief Aidarous Al Zubaidi, Faraj Al Bahsani, Tariq Saleh and Abu Zaraa al Muharrami. (click the picture to read the full article).