Georgia, Tbilisi, 9 August / Trend corr. N.Kirtskhalia/ The Georgian Foreign Ministry urges the international community to make Russia feel with all seriousness that incursion into the territorial integrity of the state and bombing its territories is unacceptable in the 21st century. Russia challenged the international community and the challenge should be responded relevantly, which will enable stabilization of the situation, maintenance of peace in the Caucasus and restoration of the peace process dialogue.
On 8 August 2008, Georgia became a victim of a direct large-scale military aggression by Russia. The Georgian airspace was invaded several times since the early morning. The Russian jets bombed Kareli and Gori towns, as well as Shavshvebi, Variani, Tsedisi villages. Practically, within 20 minutes, the territory between Ksuisi and Khelchua villages was bombed. The Russian jets were flying over Tskhinvali, Marneuli and Gudauri for rather enough time. Majority of the abovementioned populated regions are located beyond the conflict zone.
These facts obviously testify for Russia's aggressive intentions. Through similar actions, Russia roughly and openly violates all norms and principles of the international law, obviously challenges the international community and creates a threat for the set international order and stability in the region.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry is concerned about statements of Russian leaders, who aggressively respond to the Georgian Government's actions taking place in its own territory, which target disarmament of illegal armed formations, protection of civil people living in the conflict zone and ensuring their security.
"Russia's open military aggression is a logic continuation of the aggressive policy which Russia has been pursuing towards Georgia within recent several years. Results of the policy include expansion of the conflicts existing in the Georgian territory, full inefficiency of peacekeeping format, illegal armament of separatist criminal regimes and their providing with human resources, transformation of peacekeepers into the occupation army and mass providing people of the regions with illegal issued identifications. We do not speak about separate acts of aggression but about military aggression against Georgia," Foreign Ministry said.