EU Special Representative to South Caucasus, Georgian PM discuss situation at occupation line
Tpoko Klaar (left) and Giorgi Gakharia (right) held a meeting yesterday. Photo: PM's press office
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Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia spoke of the recent developments along the occupation line between Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region and the rest of Georgia with the European Union Special Representative for the South Caucasus Toivo Klaar yesterday.
In particular, Gakharia and Klaar spoke of Tskhinvali’s decision to close the crossing points as well as its protest on the opening of an ordinary Georgian police post in the village of Chorchana, Khashuri municipality, on Tbilisi administered territory,
At the meeting they both underscored importance of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) meetings and the Geneva International Discussions (GID) to address the issues of concern.
Very good meeting this afternoon with Prime Minister @GakhariaGiorgi to discuss security situation and current developments.
— Toivo Klaar (@ToivoKlaar) September 13, 2019
PM Gakharia said such decisions affect humanitarian situation and security environment on ground. He noted the importance of discussing the issues at high diplomatic levels and the need to provide the EU-member states with quick updates.
Toivo Klaar, who is also the GID co-chair met with the State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili earlier that day as well.
Tsikhelashvili said they discussed security and humanitarian challenges, as well as on the urgency of reopening crossing point to the Akhalgori district that bans freedom of movement and harms livelihoods of locals.
88-year-old Georgian man Data Vanishvili, whose house and agricultural lands are divided in two by occupying forces, has asked advice from NATO PA President Madeleine Moon, who has visited the occupation line in the village of Khurvaleti earlier today.
The US Department of State Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus has responded to Russia’s most recent illegal activities at the occupation line in Georgia and called on the country to suspend its illegal occupation of Georgian territories.
The Chair of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčák, met with the Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani earlier today.
The Head of the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) Erik Hoeg said the recent decision of de facto Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) officials to close the so-called border with the rest of Georgia is “negatively affecting local communities” on both sides of the occupation line.
"It is of our deepest concern that the so-called crossing points along the occupation line with the Tskhinvali region have been closed, which results in the total isolation of the population residing in the occupied territories and creates a threat of a humanitarian crisis on the ground,” Georgian Foreign Ministry stated.
Co-chairs of the Geneva International Discussions (GID) said the closure of the crossing points between Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region and the rest of Georgia “is creating additional hardship for the local people and is further raising tensions”.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia spoke of the situation in occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions with the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus Rudolf Michalka.
The European Union Monitoring MIssion (EUMM) reported that earlier today its patrol “was briefly held by armed South Ossetian security actors”, while conducting a patrol in the Chorchana-Tsnelisi area, close to the occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.
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.