Georgia Raises Three Key Issues at IPRM Meeting in Gali
The 43rd Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) meeting took place in Gali, a town located between Georgia and its Russia supported breakaway region of Abkhazia, on February 22nd. Georgian, Abkhaz, Russian and European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) representatives participated in the meeting which was chaired by the United Nations.
The Georgian side raised three key issues at the meeting and demanded:
- The arrest the Abkhaz citizen, Rashid Kanji Oghli, who killed Georgian citizen Giga Otkhozoria, on the territory currently controlled by Georgia, on May 19, 2016.
2. The release of the citizen of Georgia, Giorgi Lukava, who is currently imprisoned in Abkhazia for alleged terrorist activities.
3. Cancellation of announced closure of crossing points at Georgia-Abkhazia boundary line, stressing any kind of prohibition that restricts fundamental rights of local residents, will complicate their living conditions and pose threat to security on the ground.
The Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism was created in February 2009 as a result of the Geneva discussions that followed the 2008 conflict in Georgia. The meetings are an opportunity to discuss, among other issues: the identification of potential risks, the follow-up of incidents and the exchange of information, as well as problems affecting the communities on a daily basis. The meetings are co-facilitated by the OSCE and the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM).
The Georgian representatives at the IPRM meetings are from the State Security Service and the Reconciliation and Civil Equality Ministry of Georgia.
The next IPRM meeting in Gali will be held on 21st March 2017.
By Thea Morrison