Georgian foreign office highlights “destructive” stance of Russia, its occupation regimes at Geneva International Discussions

The Georgian foreign office on Thursday highlighted the “destructive” stance of representatives of Russia and its occupation regimes at the 58th round of the Geneva International Discussions, a platform facilitating talks between the Georgian Government and de facto authorities in the country’s Russian-occupied regions.

In a statement over this week's round, the Ministry noted the Georgian delegation focused on the "main issues* on the agenda, in particular the need to “fully fulfil" the international obligations assumed by Russia under the ceasefire agreement of August 12, 2008 that ended the war between the two states, and “safe and dignified return" of displaced persons and refugees to their homes in the Russian-occupied territories.

The Georgian delegation also raised acute security and humanitarian problems stemming from the Russian occupation, such as illegal military exercises, construction of barbed wire and other artificial barriers along the occupation line, illegal detentions and abductions, human rights violations and ethnic discrimination of Georgians”, the statement said.

“Due to the destructive stance of representatives of Russia and its occupation regimes, the discussion could not take place on one of the most important issues on the agenda of the negotiations - safe and dignified return of internally displaced persons and refugees expelled from the occupied territories as a result of ethnic cleansing to their homes. As soon as a discussion of the issue started, participants from Moscow, Sokhumi and Tskhinvali politicised the topic and left the negotiations”, the body noted.

Established as international discussions to address the consequences of the 2008 war in Georgia, the Geneva International Discussions were launched in October 2008 and are co-chaired by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the European Union and the United Nations.