UN Secretary-General: protracted conflicts in Georgia and in Europe needs to be resolved

On the 10th anniversary of the 2008 Russia-Georgia war the office of the United Nations Secretary-General has released a statement, in which the Secretary-General recalls the necessity of resolving this and other protracted conflicts in Europe.

… the Secretary-General recalls that it is a reminder of the need to resolve this and other protracted conflicts in Europe. This requires increased commitment by the relevant actors, backed by strong political will and a reinvigoration of mediation processes,” read the statement.

The Secretary-General urges all the participants in the Geneva International Discussions to adopt a constructive, forward-looking approach that would allow this indispensable mechanism to fulfill its mandate. All concerned should prioritise progress through appropriate dialogue and refrain from divisive policies and unilateral actions that may adversely impact regional peace and security.

The Secretary-General recalls that while the Geneva International Discussions and the Incident Response and Prevention Mechanism have substantially contributed to strengthening stability in recent years, more should be done on key security and humanitarian issues, including those related to the plight of the many internally displaced persons and refugees. The United Nations will continue to fully support this important mechanism and work with the European Union and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to achieve progress on all issues”, read the statement.