The main objective of the upcoming round of the Geneva discussions on security in Transcaucasia should be the concrete work on the text of a bilateral agreement on the non-use of force by Georgia against South Ossetia, stated the Presidential Envoy for post-conflict settlement Murat Dzhioev after a meeting with the EU, the OSCE and the UN co-chairs of the Geneva discussions. According to him, the meeting of the co-chairs was held today in Tskhinval in preparation for the next round of negotiations in Geneva.
"We discussed a wide range of matters within the competence of the Geneva discussions. First of all, to ensure security of South Ossetia," - said Dzhioev.
He has reminded that the discussions are designed to work out an agreement between the parties.
"In 2009 South Ossetia presented the draft agreement at the Geneva discussions. There were also presented other drafts. In this direction have been taken important steps - unilateral declarations of Presidents of South Ossetia and Georgia that they will not apply force, but those were the intermediate steps. Now it`s time to work on the agreement in real earnest," - said the envoy.
Dzhioev has noted that one of the main items on the agenda should be a statement about the commitment of all the participants to the non-use of force, the work on the text of which is already underway.
They have also discussed a range of humanitarian issues, including the fate of the missing persons of South Ossetia.
"We talked about the problem of water supply in the border areas, in particular, in Leningor and Tskhinval districts of South Ossetia, as well as in Gori district of Georgia. Residents of these areas should have equal access to irrigation water. The Georgian side should agree that the Tiripon canal should be accessible for residents of South Ossetia," - said Dzhioev.
The envoy has added that the issues of refugees and internally displaced persons will also be discussed at the Geneva talks.
"We were discussing these issues at the first rounds. But since 2009 the Georgian authorities to bypass the Geneva talks began to raise this issue at the UN General Assembly sessions, where the resolution is adopted each year, but it deals more with the political side of the issue, "- said Dzhioev.
And so far, as South Ossetia is not represented in the UN, and its representatives cannot get a visa to bring their position, the South Ossetian delegation has stated that if the Georgian authorities want to solve this issue to bypass the Geneva discussions, it does not make sense to discuss it in Geneva.
"Therefore, if the Georgian authorities refuse to discuss this matter behind our back, we will reconsider our position. At this stage it is not discussed in Geneva," - stated Dzhioev.
At the same time, South Ossetia is ready to send its representatives "anywhere, to present our vision of the problem."
" No one will succeed in the efforts to solve this problem behind our back," - said Dzhioev.
