Georgia is happy with UN Court's decision, Russia doubts its competence

Tina Burdzaliani, Deputy Minister of Justice of Georgia, has stated that the decision on provisional measures in defence of the rights of the population of Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia passed by the International Court is just what Georgia had wanted, when filed its claim to the major judicial body of the United Nations. Russia asserts that this Court has no jurisdiction to pass decisions on this claim.

We remind you that yesterday, on October 15, while announcing its decision on Georgia's claim against Russia, the Court of the United Nations in The Hague has stated that both parties should contribute to receipt of humanitarian aid by the population of Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia; and Russia and Georgia should make everything possible to ensure safety of people, realizations of their rights to freedom of travel and residence within the borders of the state, and to defend the property of displaced persons and refugees. The Court has reminded the parties about their duty to respect the provision of the International Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

"Having obliged both Russia and Georgia to take the provisional measures, the Court has thus emphasized that all the countries shall respect the international law," Ms Burdzaliani has noted. "Georgia is and will be respecting it; therefore, it will face no problems with enforcing the provisional measures. Georgia will duly notify the Court about fulfilment of its decision and about the state of things with this enforcement by Russia."

According to the Georgian Deputy Minister of Justice, although the decision was passed by the judges with a one-vote majority (8 pro and 7 contra), it is important that this majority "has voted in favour of Georgia", the RIA "Novosti" reports.

In its turn, Russia will continue to prove that the UN International Court in The Hague has no jurisdiction to pass decisions on Georgia's claim against Russia. "With account of the fact that the Court's decision on jurisdiction in the context of provisional measures has a preliminary character, we are going to continue proving, at the following stage of litigation, that the Court has no jurisdiction over this case," runs the statement published by the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.

The MFA's statement also notes that the Russian party confirms its adherence to the principle of peaceful settlement of international disputes and is going in future to honesty stick to the International Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. "We can expect that the Georgian party will strictly observe the provisions of the Convention," runs the statement of Russian MFA.