Russia urges UN court to dismiss case launched by Georgia

Moscow has called on International Court of Justice in The Hague to dismiss the case launched by Georgia against Russia. Tbilisi accuses Russia of harassing and persecuting Georgians in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Russia dismissed the claims saying Moscow was committed to withdrawing its forces from the region, and Georgia was misrepresenting the number of people displaced.

Over the last three days Georgia and Russia have presented their positions to 15 judges.

The court is expected to make a decision within weeks, though could decide it does not have jurisdiction.

Russia’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, Kirill Gevorgian said:

“Our main argument is that the conflict between Russia and Georgia has nothing to do with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.”

He said the two countries “have issues but they are in no way related to this convention”.

“That's why we are saying the International court should not be looking into this case. But if it does look into it, it should decide there was no discrimination of Georgians on the territory of South Ossetia and Abkhazia,” Gevorgian added.