Georgian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Lasha Darsalia on Tuesday said deoccupation of the country’s Russian-occupied regions, withdrawal of the occupation troops to the pre-2008 war lines and return of internally displaced persons would be in focus of tomorrow’s latest round of the Geneva International Discussions.
In his remarks on the round of talks through the platform facilitating discussions between the Georgian Government and de facto authorities in the occupied regions, Darsalia highlighted the importance of the discussions on the backdrop of the currently “deteriorating security environment”.
On this backdrop, the next round of the Geneva Discussions is of great importance, as topics such as ensuring security in a broad sense, the implementation of the six-point [ceasefire] agreement [of 2008] - where the main topic is deoccupation, withdrawal of Russian occupation troops to the pre-war lines and return of IDPs - are discussed in Geneva”, he said.
Darsalia stressed the support from the United States and the European Union for Georgia was “important” in the process.
At this round, it becomes even more important to discuss the main issues, which is the fulfilment of all six points [of the ceasefire agreement] - especially the provision of international security mechanisms. Georgia will raise this issue as a matter of principle”, the diplomat noted.
“The only main topic at the Geneva Discussions - if we are talking about any type of improvement of the situation - may be related to the improvement of the situation in the occupied territories and the process of deoccupation. Any other process cannot be called improvement of the situation between Georgia and Russia”, he concluded.