All authoritative scientists and experts consider principles of international law on territorial integrity, people’s right to self-determination and others equal, RF Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said at the Jan. 22 press conference in Moscow.

“The only attempt to define principle of self-determination in the context of territorial integrity was made in the UN declaration adopted in 1970,” Lavrov stated.

“I hesitate to quote the legal definitions of the document, but its tenor is that respect for country’s territorial integrity assumes authorities’ obligation to secure the rights of people residing in its territory, including their right to self-determination and peaceful settlements of any issue,” FM commented on the document.

According to Lavrov, states that use brutal military force to accomplish the mentioned purpose question the respect for right to territorial integrity. “This first of all refers to Saakashvili’s actions against people living in Georgia and the way he tries to tackle people’s right to self-determination. Thus my reply is clear, none of these principles cannot be preferred to another, as in the international law they are equal,” Lavrov concluded.

A.G.