Foreign Minister expresses support for Georgia's territorial integrity

In a telephone conversation between Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins and David Bakradze, the Foreign Minister of Georgia, on 18 April, the Ministers discussed a decision recently adopted by Russia to provide support for Georgia's separatist regions Abkhazia and South Ossetia.    

In the conversation, the Latvian Foreign Minister expressed Latvia's firm support for the territorial integrity of Georgia. Latvia is of the opinion that the instruction by the President of Russia to the Government is contrary to Russia's position in the UN Security Council, where it voted for Resolution 1808 of 15 April 2008, which stands for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia. Support for one of the conflicting sides cannot encourage the settlement of these conflicts. Latvia calls on the Russian Federation to refrain from the implementation of the decision and not to take practical action, which would encourage the legitimisation of the separatist regimes of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Latvia is carefully monitoring the progress of events relating to Georgia's separatist regions Abkhazia and South Ossetia and calls on all sides involved to avoid taking any steps and rhetoric, which could endanger a peaceful resolution of these conflicts.

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