Broad spectrum of issues, including security and humanitarian issues was discussed at today's meeting of co-chairs of the Geneva discussions with members of the South Ossetian delegation. As reported by Presidential Envoy for post-conflict settlement, Murat Dzhioev in the course of the briefing, special attention was paid to the situation in Zardiantkari in connection with placing the Georgian police post near the border of South Ossetia.
"We understand that this is the territory of Georgia, but it has caused anxiety. Therefore, we explained the situation; today the co-chairs will have the opportunity to learn the situation at the spot. And we hope that they will contribute to moving this post to its original location. We reiterate that we have no any claims to this territory, we only try to defuse tension", - underlined Dzhioev.
The presidential envoy has also reported that the issue of the missing persons was also discussed at the meeting.
"This issue is raised at each meeting. They promised to bring our concerns to the relevant authorities of Georgia, who are able to provide assistance in searching for the missing persons, "- said Dzhioev.
The plenipotentiary has added, that the issue of releasing the detainees of both parties was also discussed.
"This issue is considered at the meetings of MPRI, and we hope that soon some progress will be made on this issue," – Dzhioev said.
In turn, the OSCE co-chair Podrig Murphy said he understood the concern of the Ossetian population of Zardiantkari with regard to setting up the police post in their village.
" Two special meetings of MPRI were held on this subject. We will continue working hard to reduce the anxiety of people. Measures will be taken to defuse the tension. The results of these activities will be reported at the MPRI meeting on July 26. I hope we will achieve some progress, "- said Murphy.
Answering the question about the possibility of removing the post to its original location, the co-chairman said it was the sovereign right of the Georgian government.
"The South Ossetian side understands it very well. We cannot force either party to perform certain actions ", - said Murphy.
Murat Dzhioev described the process of developing the document on the non-use of force, recalling that they had been working on this paper since the start of the Geneva discussions.
"The signing of a legally binding document, which will have international guarantees –is the main goal of our negotiations. Each side has developed the draft documents; of course, they have some discrepancies. Co-chairs are doing everything to bring closer the positions for finding a compromise solution that will ensure the safety of our people ", - said presidential envoy.
According to him, the work is hard, but a great intermediate step in this case served the unilateral declarations on non-use of force by presidents of South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Georgia.
"But it was the intermediate step towards the full-scale solution, binding each party not to use force. Recently, Russia proposed a new draft declaration, in which members of the Geneva discussions reaffirmed their commitment to the non-use of force. The work on this project is still in progress", - assured Dzhioev.
The EU Co-Chair Philippe Lefort commented on the last UN General Assembly resolution on refugees and internally displaced persons. According to him, it will not affect the course of the Geneva discussions.
"I think there are different approaches here. Indeed, the UN every year adopts this resolution, it is the political resolution. But we are working at the Geneva discussions to the point. I think we need to continue working. And the UN may adopt any resolution, "- said Lefort.
In turn, Murat Dzhioev noted that behind the Geneva discussions, the UN had adopted the resolution, in the discussion of which South Ossetia and Abkhazia could not participate and could not influence on the members of the Assembly.
"Therefore, we believe that the work should be carried out there, where South Ossetia and Abkhazia can represent their interests, and the decision-makers could weigh their positions. And the Geneva discussions is the only format where one can talk in a balanced manner about the settlement of relations between South Ossetia and Georgia, about regional security issues ", - stressed the plenipotentiary.
The visit was continued by going to the village of Zardiantkari where they would be able to learn the situation at the spot.
