EU backs territorial integrity of Georgia - Stefan Fule
EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule voiced a concern over the situation on the border of South Ossetia region.
"The EU Observation Mission also expressed its considerations and concerns on this issue. We are particularly concerned about the local population and the issues related with them. We raised this issue at the highest level during the last summit, which took place between the EU and Russia. Once again, we keep the focus on this issue. Accordingly, we continue to work and want the parties to reach an agreement," Fule said at a joint press conference with Prime Minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili on July 11.
He said that the EU fundamentally supports the territorial integrity of Georgia.
Large scale military action was launched in South Ossetia on August 8, 2008. Later, Russian troops occupied Tskhinvali and expelled the Georgian military.
Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in late August. In response, Tbilisi broke diplomatic relations with Moscow and has called the two unrecognized republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia occupied territories.