Deputy FM: no results at Geneva Int’l Discussions, as Russia remains ‘destructive’
The Geneva International Discussions were launched in October, 2008 after the Russia-Georgia war. Photo: Foreign Ministry's press office.
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Due to the Russian Federation’s “destructive attitude” the 47th round of Geneva International Discussions of April 2-3, have again ended without tangible results, Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Lasha Darsalia said after the two-day meetings.
Darsalia, who spoke on behalf of the central Government of Georgian at the discussions, said Russia prefers the language of pressure and threats.
He also stressed that Russia “politicises” all the issues, including humanitarian ones and thus hinders making the lives of people living in the occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) easier.
The Georgian delegation raised the issue of activating the relevant international security mechanisms to ensure that [Russia] fulfills the six-point ceasefire agreement”, Darsalia said.
Unfortunately, on the tenth anniversary [of the Russia-Georgia war] Russia still does not fulfil its obligations”, he added.
The Georgian official also underscored that the Russian representative expressed discontent with the joint NATO-Georgia military drills as well, which Darsalia noted is “not directed against any third parties”.
He said with pressure and threats Russia cannot make the Government of Georgia change its foreign policy priorities.
The Russian position
The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin believes that with“the increased NATO military activities" Georgia will become "a springboard for tensions in the Caucasus”.
We, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as Georgia’s neighbours, should make sure that this is not addressed against us”, Karasin said, suggesting launching Russia-NATO and Russia-Georgia dialogue.
He said Moscow is concerned with NATO "approaching the borders of the Russian Federation and its allies: Abkhazia and South Ossetia" and will "take relevant measures if necessary”.
The recent death of Georgian citizen Irakli Kvaratskhelia in the Russian occupied Abkhazia was also raised in Geneva. However, Karasin believes there can be no discussion over this issue until the investigation of the man’s death comes to an end.
If we discuss only such tragic cases at the Geneva [International] Discussions, we can not make steps forward”, Karasin said.
He also stated that adoption of Otkhozoria-Tatunashvili list hinders “the dialogite and cooperation between Tbilisi, Tskhinvali and Sokhumi” and that it “will not work in the Caucasus [region] but rather bring negative results”.
- The Geneva International Discussions were launched in October, 2008 to address the consequences of the Russia-Georgia war.
- The participants of the Geneva International Discussions are the central government of Georgia, the de-facto representatives of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali, Russia, the US, the UN, the OSCE and the EU.
- The next round of the Geneva Discussions will be held in July, 2019.
Co-chairs of the Geneva Internal Discussions from the EU, UN and EU, dealing with Georgian conflict issues, are in the Russian occupied Abkhazia region of Georgia to discuss the details of the recent death of Georgian citizen Irakli Kvaratskhelia in the region.
Georgia and Russia were unable to agree on a non-use of force statement at the Geneva International Discussions that would oblige all the members of the Geneva talks not to use force against one another. "Russia showed a destructive attitude and deliberately brought the discussions on the statement to a dead end,” the Georgian ministry reported.
Russia has accused NATO and the United States of creating threats to regional security as they support Georgia upgrade its military capabilities.The Russian Foreign Ministry also reports that concerns regarding the US-built Tbilisi Lugar Lab have not been alleviated.
The 45th round of the Geneva International Discussions has touched upon the grave human rights situation in the occupied Georgian regions, as well as on cases of the murder and abduction of Georgian citizens and complications related to local incident prevention mechanisms.
NATO Foreign Ministers have agreed on a package of measures to improve the Alliance’s situational awareness in the Black Sea region and strengthen support for its partners – Georgia and Ukraine.
The 48th round of the Geneva International Discussions, the only international format on Georgian conflict issues, have ended without results.
"Destructive and provocative activities” of the occupation forces near the Tbilisi-controlled village of Chorchana as well as “the grave humanitarian consequences” caused by occupied Tskhinvali’s decision to close its crossing-points were discussed at the 49th round of Geneva International Discussions.
The Ambassador of Ukraine to Georgia Ihor Dolhov temporarily left the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy in protest when the member of the Russian parliament Sergei Gavrilov was addressing the audience in Tbilisi.
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.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry reports that it is ‘concerned’ Russia has broken off the 51st round of Geneva International discussions, the only international format discussing the consequences of the Russia-Georgia 2008 war.
The Russian foreign ministry has called its Georgian counterpart's claim about the Russian side breaking off the last round of the Geneva international talks "unfounded" and "politicised" and said the postponement of the meeting had been caused by logistical complications due to the pandemic.