Due to unavailability of the Georgian party to the expert review of the draft statement of all the participants of the format on non-use of force, developed by the Co-Chairs of the Geneva discussions, it was decided to postpone it to the next round. This is stated in a communiqué of the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation, following the 23 round of the Geneva discussions on security in Transcaucasia.
"The South Ossetian and Abkhaz sides stressed the priority of signing the bilateral agreements on security guarantees with Georgia and unacceptability of Tbilisi to avoid this topic" – was said at the Russian Foreign Ministry.
However, it is noted in the statement that the situation at the border of South Ossetia and Abkhazia with Georgia is relatively calm.
"However, the incidents, the lack of trust and mutual claims, require the increased vigilance andactivization of Mechanisms to prevent and respond to incidents (MPRI)," – is said in the statement.
According to the Foreign Ministry, the South Ossetian side rejected claims expressed at the previous MPRI meeting by the Tbilisi representatives on the construction of security barrier in the border area, and confirmed its right to strengthen the state border.
The next meeting is scheduled in Geneva at the end of June 2013.
It should be reminded that March 26 - 27 in Geneva was held the twenty-third round of the international discussions on security and stability in Transcaucasia. The talks were attended by representatives of the Republic of Abkhazia, the Republic of South Ossetia, the Russian Federation, as well as Georgia, the United States, EU, UN and OSCE.
