Yi Whan-woo is a Korea Times journalist primarily covering finance. He writes in-depth articles on macroeconomy and financial markets and previously covered sports, politics, diplomacy and inter-Korean affairs, among others. Feel free to contact him at yistory@koreatimes.co.kr.
INTERVIEW 'Russia uses pandemic to expand control over occupied Georgian regions'
Georgian Ambassador to Korea Otar Berdzenishvili speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at the embassy in Seoul, Aug. 3. He said the situation has been destabilizing in the Russian-occupied Georgian regions Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia during the COVID-19 crisis. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
By Yi Whan-woo
By Yi Whan-woo
Every August, Georgian Ambassador to Korea Otar Berdzenishvili addresses media on how the situation has been deteriorating in Russian-occupied Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia since a war between the two countries in the same month of 2008.
This yearly routine since Ambassador Berdzenishvili began his tenure in 2017 has made topics he covers on security and humanitarian challenges in the regions repetitive and therefore quite predictable.
Nevertheless, Berdzenishvili says they can't be stressed enough ― especially 12 years after the war ― as the Russian Federation is using the COVID-19 pandemic to ratchet up hybrid tactics and expand control over Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia in violation of the 2008 EU-mediated Ceasefire Agreement.
“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, everything on the international agenda moved to the secondary position to concentrate attention and effort solely on fighting the spread of coronavirus,” he told The Korea Times during a recent interview. “However, the Russian Federation not only did reverse its illegal actions against Georgia, but on the contrary, seized the opportunity to further intensify the provocations.”
He argued such military aggression should be interpreted “in a wider definition” of hybrid tactics ― a mixture of conventional and unconventional warfare.
More than 500,000 refugees and internationally displaced people still cannot return home 12 years after the Russo-Georgian War in August 2008. / Courtesy of Embassy of Georgia
The tactics listed by Berdzenishvili ranged from a disinformation campaign against a lab under Georgia's National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health to a false narrative of a so-called “Ossetian Genocide” by Georgia in 1920, increased military buildup in the occupied regions, fortification and lengthy closure of occupation lines, restriction of movement and human rights abuses against conflict-affected people and denial of medical evacuation in South Ossetia's Akhalgori district, which is mainly populated by ethnic Georgians.
According to Berdzenishvili, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the Richard Lugar Center for Public Health Research lab “of developing pathogen agents for military purposes.”
Tskhinvali, the capital city of South Ossetia which together with Abkhazia is recognized as an independent state by the Russian Federation, separately accused the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM), an unarmed peacekeeping mission, of “being behind” a scheme to develop viruses by gathering biological samples from its region.
“These provocations were directed to hurt the efforts of Georgia to fight the COVID-19 pandemic,” Berdzenishvili said, noting the Richard Lugar Center for Public Health Research is critical for the country's fight against the coronavirus.
“At the same time, Russian propaganda is aimed at destabilizing the situation in the country, and undermining the international and local image of the government of Georgia.”
The ambassador assessed the “Ossetian Genocide” shows Russia's desperation “at shifting the focus away from its illegal activities, and preparing the ground for the annexation of Georgia's indivisible region.”
Signed between Georgia and Russia, Aug. 12, 2008, the EU-mediated Ceasefire Agreement requires Russian military forces to pull out from occupied territories of Georgia following the five-day Russo-Georigan war from Aug. 7.
The military aggression is still ongoing, with two full-fledged military bases that have 4,500 troops and 1,300 FSB agents each.
“They make themselves highly visible given the large-scale military drills that they conduct on a regular basis, testing the latest offensive weaponry which is more than enough a reason to make Europe worried about its security,” Berdzenishvili said.
During the pandemic, the Russian military forces have enhanced “borderization” by erecting barbed wire fences and digging anti-fire trenches in 14 villages.
He also accused Russia of lengthy closure of so-called crossing points, restriction of freedom of movement, ill treatment, kidnapping, torture, ethnic discrimination and ethnic cleansing.
Accordingly, Tskhinvali has denied medical evacuations from the Akhalgori district, leading to 15 deaths since the closure of the occupation line in September 2019.
“It is furthermore outrageous that they have been denying medical evacuation on the basis of ethnicity,” Berdzenishvili said, adding ethnic Georgians have been targets of Russification to erase their identity.
“All the above activities during COVID-19 represent a deliberate attempt of escalating the situation and destabilizing the security environment on the ground with serious implications for the prospect of a peaceful and stable Europe.”
Regarding Georgia's stance, the ambassador said it is “determined to further pursue its unwavering peaceful conflict resolution policy.”
He pointed out Georgia has multiple times unilaterally reaffirmed the non-use of force commitment both at the executive as well as legislative levels and has been firmly implementing this international obligation, still awaiting in vain the reciprocity from the Russian Federation.
Meanwhile, Berdzenishvili said Korea could capitalize on Georgia's democratic politics, free market economy and its location between Asia and Europe, which could help expand Korea's New Northern Policy.
One of President Moon Jae-in's key diplomatic initiatives, the New Northern Policy aims to boost economic and political ties with countries to Korea's north.
Regarding bilateral cooperation, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili and President Moon on May 21 held a phone conversation ― the first between leaders of the two countries after establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992 ― and discussed cooperation, including the fight against the coronavirus.
With Georgia's general elections coming in October, Moon offered to share Korea's experience in quarantine measures taken during Korea's general elections in April.
The ambassador said the highest-level phone conversation between the two countries expressed “the readiness to move to more concrete steps on free trade, more tourism and more cooperation once this pandemic is over.”
Among other topics discussed were the biggest investment project run by K-Water to build Nenskra Hydropower Plant in northwestern Georgia, and finalizing a bilateral air services agreement.
While the most of the embassy's 2020 projects have been postponed due to the pandemic, it still continues to promote and support cultural activities such as virtual exhibitions and publications introducing Georgia's tourism and art.