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Mr. President, I’m honored to speak on behalf of the Baltic and Nordic States: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Norway, Sweden and my own country Lithuania. Poland and Bulgaria associate themselves with this statement. Today the world faces the worst levels of displacement since World War II. Over 60 million people have been forced to leave their homes as a result of armed conflicts, violence and human rights violations. Within Europe, forced displacement has affected significant numbers of people, hundreds of thousands of them - in Georgia.

Since the beginning of the conflict in Georgia, residents of conflict affected areas have been deprived of their basic human rights. Unfortunately, as highlighted by the Secretary General’s report A/70/879, there are no major changes with regard to refugees or IDPs exercising their rights to safe, voluntary and dignified return. Regardless of the international community’s efforts, authorities in control of the occupied regions continue to deny the return of IDPs and create additional impediments to their rights.

The problem has been further compounded by continued implementation of the so-called “borderization” measures as well as by the introduction of new restrictions, including for local staff of international organizations to crossing the Administrative Boundary Line.

We share the UNSG’s call for unimpeded access for all United Nations agencies and international non-governmental organizations to the occupied regions of Georgia. Any additional obstruction of humanitarian access exacerbates the already difficult situation for the conflict-affected population and is contrary to the obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law.

The humanitarian nature of this resolution commits us all to continue working with the international community to ensure that those who have been forcibly displaced are able to exercise their fundamental rights and freedoms.  

While welcoming the resumption of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism in Gali, we would like to encourage all participants of the Geneva format to continue their efforts and agree on additional steps to further strengthen the security situation and meet the humanitarian needs of conflict affected population, especially internally displaced persons.

We take this opportunity to reiterate our firm support to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders.

In conclusion, Mr. President, this is already the ninth year we are taking action on the resolution on the status of internally displaced persons and refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia and Tskhinvali region / South Ossetia, Georgia, and we welcome the growing support for this humanitarian cause. We believe that the General Assembly is best placed to send a powerful signal of support to the displaced population, as well as to the participants of the Geneva International Discussions to redouble their efforts to facilitate the return process.

Respecting our long-lasting commitment to fundamental human rights and humanitarian principles, including the right to return, property rights and humanitarian access, this year again we will vote in favor of this resolution and call on others to join us in supporting it.

Thank you.