Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Chrystia Freeland says in her statement on the 10th anniversary of the Russia-Georgia war that Canada will continue to work with its international partners to hold Russia accountable for its ‘deplorable and unlawful behaviour’.

In the 10 years since the tragic war between Russia and Georgia, more than 100,000 Georgians remain displaced and thousands continue to live under Russian occupation. Russia’s continued occupation of South Ossetia and Abkhazia violates international law and infringes on Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Residents in the occupied regions and along the line of contact continue to suffer as the victims of crimes and human rights violations, including kidnappings, restricted movement and extrajudicial killings.

Russia must abide by its obligations under the Ceasefire Agreement of August 12, 2008, and the Agreement on Implementing Measures of September 8, 2008 in order to reach a peaceful and sustainable solution to this conflict. We also call on Russia to allow the European Union Monitoring mission access to the Georgian territories in which it exercises de-facto control.

Canada welcomes the Government of Georgia’s new peace initiative, ‘A Step to a Better Future’, directed at improving the humanitarian and socio-economic conditions of residents in Georgia’s Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions.

Canada has been unequivocal in our condemnation of Russia’s pattern of unacceptable international behaviour. We will continue to work with our international partners to hold Russia to account for its deplorable and unlawful behaviour”, read the statement.