Abducted Georgian Doctor Discussed at Geneva Talks

The 50th round of the Geneva International Discussions (GID), which represent the only format of an ongoing international dialogue between Georgia and Russia, took place in Geneva, Switzerland, on December 10-11. One of the main topics was the case of the illegally detained doctor, Vazha Gaprindashvili, who has been held captive by the puppet regime of the Russian-occupied South Ossetia since early November.

Lasha Darsalia, Deputy Foreign Minister and Head of the Georgian delegation, at the talks, noted he hoped Gaprindashvili’s case will be resolved soon despite the complexity of the issue.

“We continue to work with our partners. The issue is difficult, but, on the basis of the reactions we saw and dynamics of the negotiations, we expect and hope that the issue will be resolved in the near future,” Darsalia said.

He added that another top issue discussed concerned the closing of Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) crossing points in occupied Akhalgori.

“The human rights and humanitarian situation has worsened there since August. There are a number of issues related to both the closure of crossing points and illegal borderization and we hope that progress will be made in this regard,” he added.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko, who attended the 50th round of GID on behalf of Moscow, also commented on the issue of Gaprindashvili after the meeting, claiming it was a humanitarian issue and “everybody should meet New Year together with their families.”

“We listened to the views of both parties. We hope that Gaprindashvili will be returned to his loved ones in the near future. It is in everyone's interest that this issue be removed from the agenda. Do not ask me how he will be released- you know he is not in the Kremlin," Rudenko told Georgian journalists.

The Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) also released a statement regarding the GID, noting that the EU, UN, OSCE and US officials unanimously demanded the immediate release of the Georgian doctor.

The Georgian delegation raised worsened security and human rights situation in Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali, as well as in the villages adjacent to the occupation line. In this context, the provocative steps of Russia and de facto regimes of the breakaway regions of Georgia were stressed, in particular, in the village of Chorchani near the Georgia-controlled area, where barbed wire fences had been erected, the occupation line was closed and the number of kidnappings has increased.

“The culmination of these illegal steps was the detention of Doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili,” the MFA says.

The Ministry also noted that the Co-Chairs, participants from Georgia and the United States, strongly condemned the illegal detention of the representatives of the European Union Monitoring Mission by the occupation forces on October 24 on territory controlled by the Georgian government. They assessed the occupation regime's actions as unprecedented provocation and stressed that it was unacceptable to interfere with the mission's activities. It was reiterated that the EUMM should be allowed to enter the occupied territories and fulfill its mandate throughout Georgia.

Among the top issues of the talks were the killings of Georgian citizens Archil Tatunashvili in breakaway S. Ossetia, who received 100 injuries prior to his death in 2018, of Giga Otkhozoria in May 2016, of Davit Basharuli, murdered in unclear circumstances in breakaway Tskhinvali in 2015, and of Irakli Kvaratskhelia in 2019, who died in unclear circumstances at the Russian military base in breakaway Abkhazia. The Georgian side requested Russia provide full information regarding the last case.

Official Tbilisi also stressed that the Russian Federation continues occupation of the Georgian territories, grossly violates the EU ceasefire agreement of 12 August 2008. It urged Moscow to fulfill its international obligations, including the withdrawal of occupation forces from the territory of Georgia.

The Geneva Discussions were launched after the Russia-Georgia war 2008 and are held with the 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, the Sokhumi and Tskhinvali occupation regimes, also attend the working group sessions.

The talks are usually held within a two meeting-group format. At one meeting, the sides discuss security and stability issues in Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions, while the second meeting concerns the dignified and safe return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees to their homes in the occupied regions. While discussing the issue of IDPs return to their homes at the 50th round, the GID participants from Moscow, occupied Sokhumi and Tskhinvali demonstrated their now-traditional “destructive attitude” and left the negotiating room.

The next round of Geneva International Discussions will take place on March 31 and April 1, 2020.

By Tea Mariamidze

Image source: alt-info.com