The agreement of August 12, 2008 was an act of capitulation for the Georgian side. This interpretation of the events from 18 years ago was offered by Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze. On this day in 2008, a six-point ceasefire agreement brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy was signed, halting the Russo-Georgian War.
“On August 12, the Russian side was on the offensive. The Georgian side was on the defensive, and when you sign an agreement under such circumstances that causes you damage, that is an act of capitulation.
Prior to August 8, there was a certain situation, and that situation changed as of August 12. The situation was as follows: before August 8, a total of 125 villages were under Georgian control. Under the agreement, the Georgian side de facto relinquished 125 settlements. This is capitulation. What we controlled prior to August 8, we surrendered through this agreement. We did not give it up forever, but we surrendered the right to control that we possessed before August 8.”
Kobakhidze noted that before the war, the Georgian side controlled two-thirds of the populated territory of the Tskhinvali region—more than 100 villages—and also controlled Upper Abkhazia. “Ultimately, however, the August 12 agreement was signed, through which de facto control by force was consolidated legally as well—albeit under an occupation regime, but consolidated by this agreement. The situation that existed prior to August 8 changed radically after August 12, when the border was drawn where the occupying forces exercised actual control,” Kobakhidze added.
