UN court takes neutral position in Georgia-Russia conflict (Roundup)

The Hague - The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague on Wednesday rejected Georgia's request to indict Russia for violating its territorial integrity in the breakaway region of South Ossetia in August. Instead, the ICJ ordered both Georgia and Russia to refrain from any further acts of war and racial discrimination, prevent the violation of human rights and facilitate humanitarian assistance. 'Both Parties, within South Ossetia and Abkhazia and adjacent areas in Georgia, shall refrain from any act of racial discrimination against persons, groups of persons or institutions,' the ruling said. In its case, Georgia said Russia violated the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). The ICJ confirmed the local population in South Ossetia and Abkhazia were still at risk from human rights violations. It urged both sides to refrain from 'any act of racial discrimination.' Georgia says Russia violated international law by entering the province of South Ossetia on August 7. It also claims Russia previously caused unrest in South Ossetia, as well as in the breakaway province of Abkhazia. Georgia, which filed its case against Russia in the ICJ on August 15, also claims Russia committed genocide and ethnic cleansing in South Ossetia. Russia has rejected all allegations and says it entered Georgia's South Ossetia region to protect the civilian population from violence committed by the Georgian Army. From September 8-10, Georgia and Russia presented evidence before to ICJ to corroborate their respective positions. Established in 1945, the ICJ, the highest United Nations court, seeks to resolve matters of international law disputed by state governments. Its judgements are not legally binding.