The Organization for Democracy and Economic Development — GUAM expresses its deep concern and condemns the so-called parliamentary elections in Georgia’s occupied region — Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia, held on 8 June 2014.
The Organization for Democracy and Economic Development -GUAM reiterates its strong support for territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia and inviolability of its internationally recognized borders, as provided by international law, UN Charter, Helsinki Final Act, and relevant UN Security Council Resolutions. Herewith, any elections within the territory of Georgia should be carried out in accordance with the legislation of Georgia and with direct participation of the entire population of the region, while the above-mentioned so-called elections in the occupied region of Georgia were held without participation of the overwhelming majority of local population, predominantly Georgians, who were subjected to ethnic cleansing and forcibly expelled from their homes.
The so-called elections contradict universally recognized norms and principles of the international law pertaining to the respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, inviolability of their internationally recognized borders and inadmissibility of interference in their internal affairs and run contrary to the standards and values of democracy, rule of law and human rights. Therefore, these so-called elections cannot claim to have any kind of legitimacy and a priori must be considered null and void.
The Organization for Democracy and Economic Development — GUAM calls on international community to condemn such illegal act and to support the peaceful resolution of the conflict, based on the principle of territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders.
