Further work of Geneva Discussions needs changes, stated the Plenipotentiary for Post-Conflict Settlement Boris Chochiev after his meeting with Co-Chairmen in Tskhinval. According to him, “based on the results of the 11th round of Discussions in Geneva, the Ossetian and Abkhaz sides had certain viewpoints on the further participation in the discussions”. “It does not concern a withdrawal from this format, but future changes in the work of the Geneva Discussions”, explained Chochiev. “We do not speak about withdrawal form the discussions at this stage, nor does the Abkhaz side, as far as I know. We speak about some adjustments to the future work of the Geneva Discussions, in order to make these discussions more effective”.
According to the Post-Conflict Plenipotentiary, the Co-Chairs of the Geneva Discussions presented a draft of future non-use of force paper. “Today the Co-Chairs had briefly explained and outlined their proposals”, said Chochiev. He also noted that the Geneva discussions working within the frames of the Medvedev-Sarkozy agreement leave better to be desired. “The Geneva Discussions mainly focus on the issue of security maintenance and settlement to the refugee issue”, emphasized the official. “If there were no the Russian side, there would be no talk about any security in South Ossetia. Without Russia, neither of the international organizations is willing to work in South Ossetia without any political implications. It should not be like this, since it is a violation of their mandates.” In his turn, the EU Co-Chair of the Geneva Discussions Ambassador Pierre Morel reported that the meeting in Tskhiknval was intense. “We had a detailed discussions of the issue on non-use of force, humanitarian problems and the missing persons”, said Morel. “We know the differences in the sides’ positions, but we have achieved certain stages in the Geneva Discussions and we believe that this work should be intensified”.
The OSCE Co-Chair Bolat Nurgaliev underlined that the participants to the Geneva Discussions understood that there was not other alternative to this active dialogue. “The dialogue creates the atmosphere of cooperation, the spirit of cooperation, which allows finding solutions to uneasy problem, though the problems, which demand settlement – to get out of this vicious circle of mutual non-confidence and confrontation. Today’s visit to Tskhinval once again brought this hope”, added the Co-Chair. The UN Co-Chair Antti Turunnen agreed with this statement. “Today we had a fruitful and open discussions of all issues on the agenda for the Geneva discussions”, he said. “And we hope that we will meet at the next round of discussions on 27 July as scheduled.” According to him, the Co-Chairs are now actively engaged in finding a compromise. “As to the delivery of humanitarian aid to the population from the side of the UN, I confirm our readiness to continue this work”, concluded the Co-Chair.
It is worth reminding that the delegation of the Geneva Co-Chairs headed by the EU Envoy Pierre Morel arrived today in Tskhinval. The delegation included the OSCE Co-Chair Bolat Nurgaliev and UN Co-Chair Antti Turunnen, as well as a representatives of the OSCE Secretariat Rasa Ostrauskaite, Senior Political Advisor of the European Commission Thierry Bechet, representative of the UN HCR Christoph Biervirz.
