State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili arrived to the village of Gugutiantkari with the Deputy Foreign Minister, representatives of the State Security Service and the diplomatic corps.

The State Minister briefed the representatives of the diplomatic corps on the situation on the ground and met the locals, who talked about their needs and challenges.

"We are here today with ambassadors, diplomatic corps in order to show them, what is going on in Georgian villages, what measures the occupation regime is taking and how it works directly against people. At the same time, of course, all of this means that we need to mobilize more effort. This is one of the diplomatic leverages and very important for our partners to be informed. Also, their countries were informed and responded appropriately in order to increase pressure on Russia and to restrain such absolutely illegal actions against people.

“Of course, this is not the only instrument. We use all the tools. However, it is also very important not to deviate from the peace policy course, because it works. The most important thing is to stand next to these people. For five years, the State has been implementing a special program for each village on the dividing line. But here are people who need individual forms of help and I talked about that with the population.

"The peace policy which aims the restoring the relations between people from both sides of barbed wire is also important. I have been working on these issues for 7 years and today the contacts are on unprecedented high level. People there  have very poor conditions. The Tskhinvali region, which is deserted by the population, is actually like a military ghetto. Only up to 20% of population lived there before the conflict stayed in the region. Six times more people are detained in the occupied territory for their attempt to cross dividing line. That’s why in the future our course will be unshakable - we must respond to this occupation only by development.

"We all have emotions today, of course, it's hard to watch this, but our policy is principled and rational. We need peace, development, help for these people, building bridges with our societies. Of course, with a very strong strategy of de-occupation”, - said the State Minister.