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A solemn reception organized by the Embassy of South Ossetia and Abkhazia took place in Moscow
In Moscow, at the Cultural Center of the Russian Foreign Ministry, a gala reception was held on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the recognition of the independence of the Republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia by Russia, the 33rd anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of South Ossetia and the 30th anniversary of the Victory and Independence Day of Abkhazia. This was reported by the press service of the South Ossetian diplomatic mission.
Ambassador of South Ossetia to Russia, Znaur Gassiev, has emphasized in his welcoming speech that the recognition of state sovereignty by the Russian Federation in 2008 was the fulfillment of the dream of many generations of the Ossetian people.
“Today I have the high honor of welcoming you to the opening ceremony of the joint diplomatic reception dedicated to the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the recognition of state independence of the Republic of South Ossetia and the Republic of Abkhazia by the Russian Federation, as well as the 33rd anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of South Ossetia and the thirtieth anniversary Victory and Independence Day of the Republic of Abkhazia.
Our fraternal peoples are united by a common historical destiny. At one time, the worthy sons and daughters of South Ossetia and Abkhazia united in defense of their Motherland - the Soviet Union. Many of them died a hero's death in the battles of the Great Patriotic War,” the Ambassador said.
According to the diplomat, after the Great Victory of the Soviet people over Nazi Germany, our compatriots, along with all the peoples of the USSR, helped rebuild and restore the country destroyed by the terrible war.
“During the collapse of the Soviet Union, the new Georgian leadership, which took a course towards undisguised national chauvinism, de facto outlawed Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The subsequent actions of the Tbilisi regime threatened the very existence of the peoples of our Republics.
Already at the end of 1989, the Georgian government led by Z. Gamsakhurdia unilaterally abolished South Ossetia, after which a phase of open confrontation began, which by the beginning of 1991 led to armed aggression by the Georgian armed forces against the civilian population of the Republic.
Based on the current situation, on September 20, 1990, the Council of People's Deputies of the South Ossetian Autonomous Region adopted a declaration on the state sovereignty of South Ossetia.
It is from this significant and symbolic date that the history of the formation of the foundations of statehood of the Republic of South Ossetia begins,” Gassiev has emphasized.
The deployment of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in July 1992, the Ambassador continued, temporarily put an end to the Georgian aggression against Ossetia.
“A little later than the above events, Georgia launched a full-scale war against the people of Abkhazia.
Every year, on September 30, Abkhazia celebrates the Anniversary of the Victory and Independence Day of the Republic. On August 14, 1992, the troops of the State Council of Georgia, numbering several thousand, treacherously invaded the Republic of Abkhazia. The Georgian - so-called "guards", accompanied by heavy armored vehicles and artillery, having captured the capital - the city of Sukhum, occupied a significant part of the territory of Abkhazia. Military aggression against our peoples, which was essentially genocide and resulted in numerous casualties among the civilian population, became the objective reason for declaring the state independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
The relevant procedures and legislative acts of government authorities of both Republics were fully consistent with the norms of International Law, including the UN Convention on the Right of Peoples to Self-Determination.
In the conditions of brutal military aggression from Georgia, we were forced to enter into an unequal and bloody struggle with its well-armed military formations.
During the period of their invasion, Georgian troops carried out acts of terror and physical destruction of the civilian population, among whom were not only Ossetians and Abkhazians, but also representatives of other nationalities living in Abkhazia. Particular atrocities were used against the Abkhazians, which gave the right to talk about the ongoing genocide of the Abkhazian people by Georgia.
Not without pride, I would like to note that during that difficult time for Abkhazia, volunteers from Ossetia were among those who responded to the misfortune of the fraternal people, many of them, at the cost of their lives, showed miracles of heroism in the struggle for freedom and independence of the Republic of Abkhazia,” - the Ambassador has emphasized.
Gassiev has noted in his report that in August 2008, the aggressive aspirations of the Georgian political leadership led by Saakashvili reached their culmination.
“The troops of the Georgian regular army, equipped by the NATO countries with the most modern military equipment and weapons, prepared and trained by Western instructors, began to implement the military operation “Open Field”, aimed at the destruction and expulsion of the Ossetians from their historical homeland, the heroic history of which goes back many hundreds of years. People of South Ossetia were subjected to another full-scale military aggression, which resulted in the death of thousands of innocent civilians of Tskhinval and soldiers of the Russian peacekeeping battalion.
Forcing the aggressor to peace, which was undertaken by the Russian Federation, was the only way to prevent the mass destruction of the inhabitants of South Ossetia.
This decision of the leadership of the Russian Federation has become truly fateful for our peoples, and we understand and appreciate the responsibility that Russia has taken upon itself.
The recognition by the Russian Federation of the state sovereignty and independence of the Republic of South Ossetia and the Republic of Abkhazia was the fulfillment of the dreams of many generations of our peoples.
For the first time in a long time, we felt safe, which allows us to fully realize our potential in the area of the closest integration between our countries,” the Ambassador concluded.
He has noted that the ceremonial reception confirms that the Ossetian and Abkhaz peoples have every opportunity to further strengthen socio-economic, political and cultural interaction between our countries:
“Dear friends! I would like to cordially congratulate you on today’s Holiday, wish you good health, peaceful skies and further high achievements.”
The Ambassador of the Republic of Abkhazia to Russia, Alkhas Kvitsinia, noted in his speech: “The recognition of the independence of our state by the Russian Federation is a great holiday, which rightfully occupies the most important place in the history of the Abkhaz people. After 15 years, we can state with confidence: interaction between countries has acquired a qualitatively different character and covers the areas of coordinated foreign policy, socio-economic and humanitarian issues.”
“Russia’s ensuring the independence for South Ossetia and Abkhazia allows citizens of our fraternal countries to fully feel safe and fully realize their potential in the area of the closest integration of peoples,” noted Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Mikhail Galuzin.
Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Pyotr Tolstoy said, in particular, in his speech. “I have no doubt that South Ossetia and Abkhazia will be able to build a happy future for their children - this is the important task that we will try to implement together.”
The reception was organized by the Embassies of the Republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
The event was attended by a delegation of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs headed by Deputy Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Commissioner for Human Rights Tatyana Moskalkova, Heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Moscow, in particular, Ambassador of the Republic of Nicaragua Alba Torres, Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Jesus Velazquez, Ambassador of the Syrian Arab Republic Bashar Jaafari, as well as representatives of a number of other embassies. The reception was also attended by representatives of the State Duma led by Deputy Chairman Pyotr Tolstoy, representatives of the Moscow government headed by the Minister, Head of the Department of External Economic and International Relations Sergei Cheremin, representatives of the Moscow City Duma, employees of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Crimea to President of the Russian Federation Georgy Muradov, representatives of the Vladimir region, representatives of the authorities of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region, the Republic of Tatarstan, representatives of the Russian Academy of Sciences, heads and representatives of leading universities in Moscow, heads and representatives of the media, the public of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
At the end of the solemn part of the evening, a cultural and entertainment program was waiting for the guests, and an exhibition of honored artists from South Ossetia and Abkhazia was presented in the lobby of the Cultural Center.
