Geneva Int’l Discussions’ co-chairs meet Georgian FM after Tskhinvali visit
Prior to meeting with Zalkaliani, the GID co-chairs visited occupied Tskhinvali ahead of the upcoming 50th round of the Geneva International Discussions set to be held on December 10-11. Photo: Georgian Foreign Ministry press office
Tweet 
Share
Co-chairs of Geneva International Discussions (GIDs) from the European Union, United Nations and OSCE, Toivo Klaar, Cihan Sultanoğlu and Rudolf Michalka met with Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani in Tbilisi after travelling to Tskhinvali earlier today.
Georgian Foreign Ministry reported that at the meeting they spoke about the “immediate release” of Vazha Gaprindashvili, a doctor who was recently sentenced to two-month pretrial detention by de facto Tskhinvali authorities, as well as the developments along the occupation line.
Cihan Sultanoğlu, Toivo Klaar and Rudolf Michalka met with David Zalkaliani in Tbilisi. Photo: Georgian Foreign Ministry press office
Minister Zalkaliani said the closure of crossing points connecting the occupied region with the rest of Georgia causes crisis on the ground.
He noted that the death of Margo Martiashvili due to crossing point closure, as well as restrictions to transfer Tamar Gigauri suffering from injuries to Tbilisi hospital, prove the “grave humanitarian results” of the limited transportation and access to medical services in Tskhinvali.
Prior to meeting with Zalkaliani, the GID co-chairs spoke with de facto officials of occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region ahead of the upcoming 50th round of the Geneva International Discussions, which is set to be held on December 10-11.
The so-called security committee of Georgia's Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region says that illegally detained famous Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili “actively participated” in the Russia-Georgia 2008 war as the “captain of the military medical service of the Georgian Armed Forces.”
The Georgian Foreign Ministry announced yesterday they are doing their best to ensure the safe return of Vazha Gaprindashvili, a doctor who was recently sentenced to two-month pretrial detention by de facto Tskhinvali authorities. The ministry said that the detention of a well-known Georgian doctor and traumatologist points at “alarming human rights situation” in the Russian-occupied Georgian regions.
The United States Embassy to Georgia calls for “the immediate release” of Vazha Gaprindashvili, a well-known Georgian doctor and traumatologist, who was sentenced to two-month pretrial detention by de facto Tskhinvali authorities yesterday.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili calls on the international community “to react with all possible means” to the detention of Georgian doctor and traumatologist Vazha Gaprindashvili, who was sentenced to two-month pretrial detention by Russian-controlled occupation forces yesterday.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani has raised the issue of the abduction of famous Georgian doctor Vazha Gapridashvili with High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, acting chair of OSCE Miroslav Lajcak, Deputy Secretary General of UN Rosemary DiCarlo and Deputy Secretary General of NATO Mircea Geoana. "To put aside politics, the action is totally unacceptable from a humanitarian point of view,” Zalkaliani said.
Former President of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves has made a live address, demanding the release of a famous Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili, who was abducted by occupation forces on November 9 and was illegally sentenced to two-month pretrial detention for “deliberately crossing the border” in the occupied Tskhinvali region.
Illegal detention and sentencing of a Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili in the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) was the key issue raised at the 50th Geneva International Discussions on December 10-11.
At an online meeting with the co-chairs of the Geneva International Discussions (GID) from the European Union, United Nations and the OSCE, Toivo Klaar, Cihan Sultanoglu and Rudolf Michalka, Georgian Deputy Minister Lasha Darsalia spoke of the situation in the Russian-occuied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The European Union Special Representative for the South Caucasus Toivo Klaar and Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani discussed the security and humanitarian situation in the Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions yesterday.