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In Georgia, pope issues veiled criticism of Russia

30 September 2016 19:58 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Pope Francis called for respect for international law and the sovereign rights of nations as he arrived in Georgia on Friday, an implicit criticism of Russia, which keeps troops in two breakaway areas of the ex-Soviet state, APA reports quoting Reuters.

But Francis measured his words carefully, in an apparent attempt not to hurt the Vatican's increasingly warm ties with the Kremlin-backed Russian Orthodox Church.

Georgia won independence in 1991 but the Kremlin's shadow still looms large. Russia, which fought a short war with Georgia in 2008, is one of the few countries that recognize the contested areas of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states.

Speaking at the welcoming ceremony at the presidential palace, Francis, in a clear reference to the Georgian situation, said relations between states in the region "can never lay aside respect for the sovereign rights of every country within the framework of international law".

Georgian President Georgy Margvelashvili said there was a desire for all people to live in dignity.

"But this mission cannot be accomplished in the light of violations of the rights of civilians and the territory being occupied by a neighboring country," he told the pope.

While not specifically mentioning Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Francis supported the right of displaced people to "freely return to that land".

The government says about 300,000 people have been forced from their homes by the conflict over the disputed territories. Moscow has opposed U.N. resolutions backing their right of return.