Georgian FM, US Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations review difficult situation in Georgia’s Russian-occupied regions

Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili and Louis Bono, the Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations of the United States Department of State, on Thursday reviewed the difficult security, humanitarian and human rights situation in Georgia’s Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia).

At the meeting, the sides highlighted the dynamics of the Geneva International Discussions -  the platform used for talks between Georgian agencies and de facto authorities in the occupied regions, and the US’s “positive involvement” in this context, the Foreign Ministry said.

The importance of a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Georgia conflict was also emphasised by the officials, pointing out the need for Russia to fulfil the European Union-brokered August 12, 2008 ceasefire agreement that ended that year’s war between Russia and Georgia and required the former to withdraw its troops from the occupied regions.

Darchiashvili thanked Bono for his country’s contributions to the peaceful settlement of the Russia-Georgia conflict and stressed the importance of its strategic partner country US's support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.