Georgia: Meeting under “Any Other Business”
On Monday (18 August), Security Council members will discuss the situation in Georgia under “any other business” following the discussion on the situation in South Sudan in closed consultations. The Council’s European members (E5)—Denmark, France, Greece, Slovenia, and the UK—requested the meeting to mark the 17th anniversary of the 2008 Russia-Georgia war. Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas Miroslav Jenča is the anticipated briefer.
Background
Since its independence in 1991, Georgia has undergone multiple internal secessionist movements, notably in South Ossetia, Adjara, and Abkhazia. The population within those regions had close historical ties with Russia, and in 1992, conflict erupted as South Ossetia and Abkhazia endeavoured to secede from the newly independent Georgia. In July 1993, following international diplomatic efforts, the parties signed a Russian-brokered ceasefire agreement. In August of that year, the Security Council established the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) to monitor the ceasefire.
On 8 August 2008, after a period of strained relations between Moscow and Tbilisi, hostilities broke out between Russian and Georgian troops in South Ossetia. Following mounting international pressure, a ceasefire agreement was reached between both countries, bringing an official end to the conflict on 12 August. Since 2008, Moscow has maintained a military presence in Abkhazia and South Ossetia and has signed a series of bilateral agreements with the de facto authorities of these regions.
To date, disagreements persist between several European countries and Russia regarding the status of Abkhazia and Ossetia. While Moscow considers these entities independent states, several other member states regard them as part of Georgia’s sovereign territory. In November 2011, the European Parliament passed a resolution recognising the two regions as occupied territories.
Georgia applied for EU membership in March 2022 and was subsequently granted candidate status in December 2023, with the expectation that it would take the necessary steps outlined in a 17 June 2022 EU Commission opinion document. However, on 28 November 2024, Georgia suspended efforts to start the accession negotiations with the EU until 2028. The decision came hours after the European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution rejecting the outcome of the country’s 26 October 2024 parliamentary elections, which had returned Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s Georgian Dream party to power. The resolution called for a re-run under international supervision on the basis that they did not respect international standards for democratic elections. The resolution also called for sanctions to be imposed on top Georgian officials, including Kobakhidze. Prior to these developments, several Georgian political actors, including members of the ruling Georgian Dream party, expressed caution regarding further integration with the West, highlighting concerns about the implications of closer alignment with the EU and antagonising Russia.
In recent years, it has become an annual practice for European Council members to convene an informal meeting on the situation in Georgia, under “any other business”, to commemorate the anniversary of the 2008 war. Following each of these meetings, the US and current European members, occasionally joined by some incoming Council members, have held a press stakeout and issued a joint statement.
Monday’s Meeting
At Monday’s meeting, Jenča may refer to the 2024 Annual Report of the UN Country Team in Georgia, published on 4 July. The report notes that 2024 was a “year of accelerated change both politically and economically” for the country as it “continued to navigate complex geopolitical dynamics and unresolved conflict”, as well as political polarisation in the aftermath of large-scale protests following the October 2024 parliamentary elections.
Jenča might also highlight the human rights situation in Georgia, paying particular attention to reports and allegations of excessive use of force and mass arbitrary detentions by state law enforcement officials against protestors, human rights defenders and journalists. Following Kobakhidze’s announcement of Georgia’s decision to defer negotiations on its accession to the EU, widespread protests erupted across urban and rural areas throughout November and December 2024 that were met with repressive measures by the government. UN special rapporteurs stressed that “the scale of these allegations and the gravity of the harm reportedly inflicted on protesters and those later detained may constitute torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”. In light of these reports, they urged the Georgian government to take concrete measures to prevent further violence and investigate these allegations in accordance with international standards. In this regard, Jenča may highlight the UN’s willingness to engage with Georgian authorities on measures for improving the human rights situation.
In an 11 July press statement, the European External Action Service criticised the Georgian government’s handling of such protestors and condemned its recent arrests of Georgian opposition leaders, regarding such actions as human rights violations. At Monday’s meeting, some Council members may voice concern over Georgia’s deteriorating human rights situation and underscore the importance of ensuring full respect for human rights such as freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
Several Council members are likely to contend that Russia’s actions in Georgia 17 years ago hint at the emergence of a pattern of aggressive behaviour towards its neighbours, with some drawing parallels between the situation in Georgia and Russia’s war against Ukraine. To that end, they may reaffirm their support for Georgia’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, as well as condemn Russia’s continued military presence in, and steps toward the annexation of, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Such members are expected to call on Russia to reverse its recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia’s independence and to fulfil its obligations under the 2008 ceasefire agreement to withdraw its forces to pre-conflict positions.
Most Council members are expected to urge all parties to intensify efforts towards a lasting peace, recognising the importance of the Geneva International Discussions (GID). Established under the 12 August 2008 ceasefire agreement, the GID was launched in October of that year to address the consequences of the Russia-Georgia war. Co-chaired by the EU, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the UN, it convenes representatives from the conflict parties together with the US to address security-related issues as well as humanitarian and socio-economic concerns. However, fundamental differences persist between the parties concerning certain issues that have, in turn, deterred considerable progress in the GID format. In the latest round of discussions held on 25-26 June, the UN Representative to the GID observed that the agenda item “internally displaced persons and refugees” could not be discussed due to a walkout by some participants.
Some Council members may also stress the urgent need for unimpeded humanitarian access to all internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees in conflict-affected areas of Georgia. In doing so, they may reference the annual General Assembly resolutions on the status of IDPs and refugees from Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Adopted on 3 June, the latest resolution recognised the right of return of Georgia’s displaced persons as well as called upon all participants in the GID to “take immediate steps to ensure respect for human rights and create favourable security conditions conducive to the voluntary, safe, dignified and unhindered return of all IDPs and refugees to their places of origin”.
The resolution received 107 affirmative votes, 9 votes against, and 49 abstentions. Among the Security Council members, Russia voted against, two abstained (Algeria and China), Pakistan and Somalia did not participate in the vote, and the remaining ten members voted in favour. Before the vote, Russia said the draft resolution was “purely political” and argued that it “hampers progress in the GID”.
Russia is likely to maintain that its cooperation with Abkhazia and South Ossetia is a stabilising factor in the South Caucasus. Further, Russia may blame Western countries for fomenting volatility in the region. In an 8 August press statement, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused the international community of being “withdrawn from attempts to pacify” Georgia since the 2008 war, asserting that “Russia was the only country that gave a timely and adequate response” to the conflict.
