Georgia, Tbilisi, June 14 / Trend N.Kirtzkhalia /
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia has expressed its gratitude to those countries that supported the resolution 'On the status of internally displaced persons and refugees from Abkhazia/Georgia and the Tskhinvali region of South Ossetia/Georgia' on the eve of the 67th session of the UN General Assembly.
There were 62 countries that voted for the resolution, 16 against and 84 states abstained. In July 2012, the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution by 60 votes 'for' and 15 'against'.
As noted in a Friday statement by the Georgian Foreign Ministry, the resolution 'once again confirmed the fundamental rights of internally displaced persons'.
The resolution condemns the use of force for undertaking demographic changes in the occupied regions of Georgia and stresses the need for a dignified and safe return of those displaced persons regardless of their ethnicity. It also draws attention to the respect and protection of the rights of internally displaced persons for property, according to a statement from Georgia's Foreign Ministry.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry praised the fact that this year the number of supporters of the Georgian draft resolution has increased by two states.
'The positive dynamics of a growth of supporters of the resolution confirms the increasing support from the international community to ensure fundamental rights of displaced persons from the regions of Georgia', the statement said.
The statement also noted that the resolution calls on the participants of the Geneva talks to intensify their efforts to improve the situation in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region in terms of security and human rights.
'It is important that the resolution calls on the UN Secretary General to report annually to the General Assembly on the situation of forcibly displaced people. The resolution stresses the urgent need for unimpeded humanitarian activities in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region which is of particular importance today', according to the statement.
The Geneva talks were convened after the armed conflict in Georgia in August 2008, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement of August 12.
Large scale military action was launched in South Ossetia on August 8, 2008. Later, Russian troops occupied Tskhinvali and expelled the Georgian military.
Russia recognised the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in late August. In response, Tbilisi broke diplomatic relations with Moscow and has called the two unrecognised republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia occupied territories.