TBILISI, September 9 (RIA Novosti) - Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili welcomed on Wednesday the UN General Assembly's backing for a Georgian-proposed draft resolution on displaced persons and refugees.

The UN General Assembly supported the resolution concerning people who had fled the former Georgian republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which was part of a brief conflict last year between Tbilisi and Moscow.

"Despite the behind the scenes fighting and other methods which were used, all EU countries unanimously supported the return of refugees and Georgia's sovereignty," Saakashvili said.

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.

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 the 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.