Tskhinvali's So-Called Foreign Ministry Responds to Patriarch's Statement

The so-called Foreign Ministry of the occupied Tskhinvali region responded to the statement made by Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Shio III at a symposium dedicated to the 1700th anniversary of the proclamation of Christianity as the state religion in Georgia, titled "God, Homeland, Man". The so-called ministry said in a statement that the confusion of concepts and attempts to disguise territorial claims behind religious slogans in no way changes reality.

At the symposium, the Patriarch addressed citizens and emigrants living in the occupied territories. According to him, the ancient historical regions of Georgia should continue to exist in peace together with the Motherland. Shio III said: "Today our thoughts and prayers are especially directed to the people living in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region, these ancient historical regions of Georgia should continue to exist in peace together with the mother homeland, with faith and love in Christ. With the help of the Lord, this will be so, and brotherly unity and love will be restored among us".

The so-called Foreign Ministry states that statements and appeals made about "ancient historical lands", calling for South Ossetia to be "joined" to Georgia, are wrapped in the usual discourse on faith and brotherhood. According to them, this is nothing other than a continuation of old political rhetoric in a new, spiritual wrapping.

The agency notes that Georgian clergy and political figures use incorrect terminology regarding the Republic of South Ossetia and refer to it by the derogatory term "Tskhinvali region". According to them, in documents of negotiations held with the participation of international structures, South Ossetia is referred to by its "actual name", which authorized Georgian politicians also sign.

The statement says: "The thesis on the so-called ancient historical lands of Georgia in the context of South Ossetia and Abkhazia should be considered separately, and we must remember that historical facts point to the opposite".

According to the so-called ministry, the head of the Georgian Church expressed hope for "the restoration of brotherly unity and love" without mentioning the suffering and sacrifice of the civilian population of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. According to them, the Patriarch has not expressed regret for crimes committed by Georgian political regimes against the Ossetian and Abkhaz peoples.

The statement also reads: "In South Ossetia, people well remember how much grief the so-called brotherly Christian love of Georgia brought in the 1920s, in 1989–1992 and in 2008. Against the background of ignoring obvious facts, such "good intentions" are unacceptable for our republic".