UN, September 9 (RIA Novosti) - The UN General Assembly supported on Wednesday a Georgian-proposed draft resolution concerning people who had fled the former Georgian republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia that Russia recognized a year ago.
The draft in particular stresses the need to work out a schedule of voluntary, secure and unhindered return of all displaced persons and refugees who suffered as a result of conflicts in Georgia to their homes.
A total of 48 delegations voted for the resolution, 19 against with 78 abstentions.
Before the vote, Russia's envoy to the UN Vitaly Churkin proposed discontinuing the discussion and vote on the draft, but most members did not support his proposal.
"The Georgian draft has nothing to do with the elevated humanitarian goals and concerns that its authors state," Churkin said, adding that Russia's proposal to amend the draft was not backed.
Last Thursday the Russian Foreign Ministry slammed the project as "counterproductive," saying that it ignored the post-war reality of the two new independent states in the Caucasus.
In May 2008 the General Assembly passed a similar resolution, referring only to Abkhazia, with 14 "yes" votes against 11 "no" votes.
Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states last August after a brief war with Georgia.
On August 26, the republics celebrated the first anniversary of Russia's recognition of its independence. So far the only other country to have recognized the former republics is Nicaragua.
