GENEVA / RUSSIA GEORGIA TALKS

The 12th round of the talks between Russia and Georgia have been taking place in Geneva under the auspices of the United Nations, European Union (EU) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The talks are aimed at restoring stability in the region following the conflict between the two countries in August 2008.

The participants met in two parallel working groups to discuss security and stability in the region and humanitarian matters.

Despite the non attendance of Grigory Karasin, Head of the Russian delegation, EU mediator Pierre Morel expressed optimism.

SOUNDBITE (French) Pierre Morel, European Union Special Representative:
“We do get the impression that everyone, despite the differences that we are all well aware of after a year and a half, we do sense a readiness to move forward and to improve the work that’s already been done. It will be difficult throughout this process, but we are sufficiently aware of all the differences at this stage and of the impossibility of resolving at one go, but we are beginning to glimpse the possibility of qualitative progress.”

The co-chairs, co-Moderators and the participants welcomed the business-like atmosphere that had prevailed during the meeting and expressed the hope that this spirit would continue to guide their deliberations.

Much of the discussion centered on the non-use of force and agreements made in August 2008.

Morel said that there was a strong demand from the Russian, South Ossetian and Abkhaz participants for a specific agreement on the non-use of force, which would be signed by Georgia, South Ossetia, and Abkhazia.

From the standpoint of Georgia the agreement of 12 August 2008, which had put an end to the war, had already set Georgia’s full commitment not to use force. But they were also ready to go further in that commitment, providing that parallel measures were taken with regard to the presence of Russian forces in the field.

SOUNDBITE (English) Giorgi Bokeria, First Deputy Foreign Minister, Georgia:
"There is already a binding agreement with the commitments both from Russia and Georgia on non use of force, it’s the 12th of August agreement signed by President Saaakashvili and President Medvedev with the mediation of the EU on behalf of President Sarkozy of France. We consider this commitment binding, and we are under self imposed monitoring from UNM, UN monitoring force which brings full transparency, and it’s widely acknowledged fact that Georgia has fully implemented its own commitments under 12th August agreement. The trouble is that the Russian federation is continuing to fail to meet its commitments under the same agreement to withdraw its forces from Georgia.”

The Georgian First Deputy Foreign Minister, Giorgi Bokeria, lamented Karasin’s absence and called for a “constructive attitude.”

SOUNDBITE (English) Giorgi Bokeria, First Deputy Foreign Minister, Georgia:
"I think another aspect of concern was that Deputy Minister Karasin didn’t arrive in Geneva and one can think that this reflects the attitude of the Russian federation towards the Geneva process. I hope it wont be the case, I hope things will change in the next round and we will have full representation and a more constructive attitude, but for the time being unfortunately your question forces me to respond that this is a message which is quite alarming.”

The next round of meetings will be held on 14 October 2010.