Early morning today on June 16 (late June 15, New York time) Russia vetoed the continuation of the UN Observer Mission to Georgia (UNOMIG) at the session of the UN Security Council dedicated to the "Situation in Georgia". Out of the fifteen Members of the Security Council ten (United States of America, United Kingdom, France, Croatia, Austria, Turkey, Mexico, Burkina Faso, Costa Rica and Japan) were in favor while four (China, Libya, Uganda and Vietnam) abstained. Therefore as of today UNOMIG ceases its activities in Georgia, including the occupied region of Abkhazia.

Negotiations over the comprehensive UN Security Council resolution, which would have established a stronger and more effective UN Mission in Georgia and set forth the new security regime in the occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia lasted for several weeks before breaking down at the end of the last week due to Russia's inflexible position. Over the weekend, Western states (Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States of America) tabled a technical resolution which would have extended the UNOMIG for two weeks until June 30, 2009, thus giving more time to the Security Council to agree to the modalities of the revitalized mission. Unfortunately, even this technical resolution was unacceptable for Russia, who used the veto power to end the UN Mission in Georgia in the best tradition of Soviet diplomacy. This step of Russia is a yet another blatant violation of its international obligations and the August 12 cease-fire agreement and implementing measures of September 8.

By discontinuing the UN Observer Mission to Georgia, Russia continued the policy it started in the OSCE, which is aimed at disposing of international presence in Georgia. As we remember, Russia vetoed the continuation of the OSCE Mission to Georgia on December 22, 2008 and May 13, 2009. By ending UNOMIG Russia removed international community's final instrument designed for maintaining peace and stability in Abkhazia, Georgia and improving the livelihood of the local population, who live in constant danger, whose fundamental rights and freedoms are constantly violated and whose security depends solely on the Russian occupation forces and their proxy Abkhaz militias, responsible for many facts of ethnic cleansing and atrocities committed throughout Abkhazia, Georgia over the last decades.

Developments in the UN Security Council during the last few weeks clearly demonstrate that international community continues to strongly support Georgia's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. Thereby international community insisted on the inclusion of the reference to the UN Security Council Resolution No 1808 in the draft resolution, since the Resolution 1808 provides for the respect of Georgia's territorial integrity. Russia used this as a pretext to veto the continuation of the UNOMIG. It is noteworthy that Russia supported two previous UN Securiy Council technical rollover resolutions, which also referred to the Resolution 1808. In the similar manner Report of the UN Secretary General issued on May 18, 2009 also included the reference to the UNSC Resolution 1808. Therefore, Russia's decision to veto the UN Mission to Georgia can only be explained with its policy of eliminating all international presence in Georgia.

It is indeed unfortunate that Russia continues to deepen its self-imposed isolation from the civilized world. Every decision that Russia makes with regard to Georgia further deepens the abis between Russia and the international community.

Russia's veto will be conducive to increased instability and further human rights violations in the occupied Georgian regions, as the last international instrument to check the uncontrolled Russian military presence in the occupied Georgian regions has been removed. In this respect the role of the EU Monitoring Mission becomes even more important. Georgia calls upon the international community to consolidate its efforts and persuade Russia to allow the access of the EU Monitors to Abkhazia, Georgia and TskhinvaliRegion/South Ossetia, Georgia. Only transparency and international accountability can serve as effective counterbalance to the increasing militarization of occupied Georgian regions.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia would like to thank and pay tribute to all men and women who served for UNOMIG since 1993 and spared no effort to promote peace and security and protect human rights in Abkhazia, Georgia.

Tbilisi, 16 June 2009