On 24th round of Geneva International Discussions on security and stability in Transcaucasia
On 25-26 June 2013 another meeting in the frame International Discussions on security and stability in Transcaucasia took place in Geneva. At the meeting participated delegations of Republic of South Ossetia, Republic of Abkhazia, Georgia, Russian Federation, USA as well as representatives of EU, UN and OSCE. South Ossetia delegation was headed by the Presidential Envoy on post conflict resolution Mr. Murat Dzhioev.
The main attention during the meeting was paid to the issues of security and stability in the regions as well as to non use of force by Georgia against South Ossetia and Abkhazia as per the agreements between Medvedev and Sarkozi.
During discussions on security and stability in the areas of South Ossetia-Georgia state border, the meeting participants noted the importance and effectiveness of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism. Due to the propaganda campaign initiated by the authorities of Georgia against the activities of South Ossetia on demarcation of the state border line between the two countries, South Ossetia delegation shared materials that confirm that all the works are done within territory of South Ossetia on a certain distance from the border line and are not affecting neither territory of Georgia, nor its sovereignty. It was said that all activities of the Georgian side are of propagandistic character. All the claims against Russian border guards are groundless as they act only in the frame of the Russian-South Ossetia interstate bilateral agreement.
Representatives of South Ossetia called on the authorities of Georgia to start joint works on demarcation and delimitation of the state border and proposed Geneva Discussions Co-chairs to act as mediators.
In support of the non use of force principal and earlier unilateral statements made by Presidents of South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Georgia on non use of force, South Ossetia delegation has again underlined the importance of expediting signing of legally biding agreements on non use of force between Georgia and South Ossetia, Georgia and Republic of Abkhazia. However the destructive position of the Georgian representatives did not allow to agree text of a joint statement of the discussion participants on commitment to generally recognized norms of international law, including principal of non use of force, the statement was worked on at previous rounds of Geneva Discussions.
A substantial conversation on humanitarian issues, including issues of those missing in action and those detained in Georgia for fabricated charges, took place. Delegations of South Ossetia and Abkhazia noted destructiveness of Georgian authorities that are raise refugee issues at UN General Assembly sessions on a yearly bases, excluding possibilities for discussing the issue at Geneva Discussions. At the same time it was noted that South Ossetia and Abkhazia are ready to send their representatives to the UN General Assembly for presenting positions of their states on this issue.
An informational session took place at 24th Geneva Discussions. The international experts presented reports on international and legal significance of unilateral acts of states.
Geneva, 26 June 2013