Azernews.Az

By Jamila Babayeva

Turkey reaffirms its support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Turkish Ambassador to Georgia Zeki Levent Gumrukchu made the remarks at the meeting with Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Davit Jalagania on June 9.

Jalagania expressed Georgia's displeasure and protest over the visit of the Turkish Parliamentary delegation to the occupied region of Abkhazia on June 6. He expressed hope that such events, which undermine the close partner relations between Georgia and Turkey, will not be repeated in the future.

Gumrukchu underlined the fact that Turkey continues to follow the policy of not recognizing the so-called "independence" of Georgia's occupied regions.

As for the illegal journey to one of Georgia's occupied regions, he said Turkey's government will provide the population with the information on the policy of not recognizing the so-called "independence" of Georgia's occupied regions, and liability mechanisms under the legislation of Georgia.

An entry into breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia for foreign citizens from the areas other than Georgian-controlled territories is a subject to criminal punishment, Georgia's law on occupied territories says. Violation of this rule carries either financial penalty or a jail term from two to four years.

Large scale military action was launched between Georgia and Russia in South Ossetia on August 8, 2008. Tbilisi broke off relations with Moscow in August 2008 when Moscow crushed a Georgian assault to reassert control over two rebel regions -South Ossetia and Abkhazia- and later recognized the regions. Georgia announced the two unrecognized republics as occupied territories in September 2008.