PM Kvirikashvili expects better results if the Geneva talks are held on a higher level
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Georgia could achieve breakthrough results regarding very important issues if the level of the Geneva International Discussions (GID) increased, PM Kvirikashvili said last night while answering a question about the possibility of a meeting between the Georgian and Russian presidents.
"I think the Geneva International Discussions format needs to be used as much as possible. If the level of the format increases with the involvement of our partners we could reach an important breakthrough about very important issues”, Kvirikashvili said.
As for the "increase of the level” of the GID, he explained that the talks could be held on a higher level, such as on a ministerial level or higher.
"There are all the players in this format with involvement of whom we could create a positive dynamic regarding the huge pain Georgia currently has,” PM Kvirikashvili added.
The 43rd round of the Geneva International Discussions - international talks launched to address the consequences of the 2008 Russia-Georgia war - took place in the end of March, this year.
Co-chaired by the OSCE, the EU and the UN the Geneva process brings together representatives of the participants of the conflict - representatives of Georgia, Russia, the occupied regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as well as the United States.
Despite intensive engagement by all participants during the last talks, it was not possible to finalise a draft joint statement on the non-use of force. The participants agreed to hold the next round of talks in June 2018.
Georgia and Russia were unable to agree on a non-use of force statement at the Geneva International Discussions that would oblige all the members of the Geneva talks not to use force against one another. "Russia showed a destructive attitude and deliberately brought the discussions on the statement to a dead end,” the Georgian ministry reported.
Twenty days have passed since the death of Georgian citizen, Archil Tatunashvili, in unclear circumstances in Georgia’s Russian occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia). His body has yet to be handed over to the Tatunashvili family for burial. Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili once again reiterated importance of the Geneva International Discussions to achieve real progress.
The Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation has responded to Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili’s recent appeal to act jointly to resolve the complicated situation concerning Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili’s death in occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia).
The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres has defined 12 areas of concern, mentioning Georgia in terms of "removing the paralysis that has let European conflicts fester and freeze”. He believes that all challenges demand an investment of time, money, energy, political capital and more.
The Georgian government has hosted a round table named "Cooperation for welfare – strategy for the next century" which was attended by the presidents of six countries and the President of European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker.
Georgia expects the European Parliament to once again condemn Russian aggression in a resolution following discussions on the results of Russian occupation of Georgian territories planned for today, according to the website of the European Parliament.
The 45th round of the Geneva International Discussions has touched upon the grave human rights situation in the occupied Georgian regions, as well as on cases of the murder and abduction of Georgian citizens and complications related to local incident prevention mechanisms.
Russia has accused NATO and the United States of creating threats to regional security as they support Georgia upgrade its military capabilities.The Russian Foreign Ministry also reports that concerns regarding the US-built Tbilisi Lugar Lab have not been alleviated.
The 48th round of the Geneva International Discussions, the only international format on Georgian conflict issues, have ended without results.