Tbilisi Assesses 46th Round of Geneva International Discussions

Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has released information about the 46th round of Geneva International Discussions (GID), the only format of an international dialogue between Georgia and Russia.

Georgia says illegal annexation and occupation of Georgian territories by Russia brought tough consequences for the local population, living in the occupied regions of Georgia – Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

MFA says they outlined consequences of abduction and installation of wire fences and various artificial barriers on occupation line, illegal arrests of locals and restriction of getting the education in the native language.

Tbilisi stressed that as usual participants from Moscow, occupied Sokhumi and Tskhinvali demonstrated the traditional destructiveness and left the negotiating room while discussing the issues on the safe and dignified return of IDPs and refugees to their homes in the occupied regions. 

MFA says the Georgian side stressed that Russia exercises power in breakaway regions and is to be held responsible for the gross violation of human rights there. 

Tbilisi also once again called on the Russian Federation to implement the EU-mediated cease-fire agreement of 12 August 2008, withdraw its occupation forces from the territory of Georgia and fulfill undertaken international obligations.

Russian MFA also released a statement regarding the GID. They stressed that the main challenge of regional security in the Transcaucasus is "the military activities of the US and NATO on the territory of Georgia".

"We assess the statements of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo supporting Georgia’s NATO membership as provocative. Such irresponsible messages in August 2008, encouraged Tbilisi to carry out a criminal military action," the Russian Foreign Ministry statement reads.

Moscow also assures the situation on the Georgian- Abkhazian and Georgian-South Ossetian so-called borders was assessed as stable by all participants of the discussions, except Georgian representatives.

GID is held four times a year with Co-Chairmanship of the EU, UN, and OSCE, and with the participation of Georgia, the Russian Federation and the USA. The representatives of Georgia’s breakaway regions –occupation regimes also attend the Working Groups. 

By Thea Morrison