Security issues, missing persons and humanitarian issues are a range of issues that are on the agenda of the Geneva discussions. The co-chairs came to Tskhinval to outline with their colleagues the circle of issues discussed at the upcoming round, which is scheduled for the beginning of July. At the end of the official part of the dialogue, the co-chairs commented on the results of the meeting and answered the questions of the South Ossetian media representatives.
Security and non-use of force
The EU Co-Chair Toivo Klaar, has noted that today, during the dialogue, they discussed the entire spectrum of issues on the Geneva Discussions agenda.
“Particular attention was paid to security and humanitarian issues, as well as the very purpose of the Geneva discussions,” he said.
As for the likelihood of advancing the issue of the non-use of force at the next round of discussions, then, in the opinion of the EU co-chair, all participants consider the issue of security and non-use of force the key issue.
"And therefore we expect a fruitful discussion in Geneva, but I will not get ahead and predict how the discussions will end and how far we will go, but we expect a positive discussion," said Klaar.
Missing persons
Journalists were interested in solving the issue of missing South Ossetian citizens.
The OSCE co-chair Rudolf Michalka said that this issue had been discussed at the meeting.
“We have reported that the investigation of the OSCE independent expert Dusan Ignjatovic has been completed, and at the next round in Geneva, colleagues from Tskhinval will be able to get acquainted with his report and discuss it,” the EU co-chair stressed.
- Mr. Mikhalka, do you raise the issue of missing persons at a meeting with colleagues in Georgia?
- Of course, this is our work and we are doing it here and in Tbilisi. At every meeting we raise this question. In addition, we are also discussing the issue of missing persons in the framework of the IPRM. And here, I want to express my gratitude to the South Ossetian party for a constructive approach to the work.
Also, I hope that soon representatives on both parties of the dividing line will experience positive results on our work.
Refugees and the ways out
The question of refugees did not stay aside. Whether it will be discussed at the next round of the Geneva discussions, the journalists asked the UN representative Hailo Mamo.
According to him, they hope that the issue of refugees will be discussed.
“This is not only a mood, but our desire. And we want the issue of refugees to become one of the key issues that would be resolved in the framework of the Geneva discussions. Moreover, it is the key. Unfortunately, today there is no direct dialogue for a known reason. In addition, the discussion of one issue is possible in various formats. We hope, sooner or later, all participants will be able to designate their positions on this issue, including on the Geneva platform.
- Mr. Mamo, what needs to be done so that the problem is solved, and the issue of refugees has again begun to be discussed in Geneva?
- Good question. It is necessary for each party to show good political will, willingness to compromise and pragmatic approach.
Continuing the problem of refugees, Murat Dzhioev said that this issue belongs on a mandate to the range of issues that should be discussed at the Geneva discussions, and at the first rounds for two years they were raised in the framework of the format.
“However, after Georgia began to issue a resolution to the UN General Assembly, which is clearly politicized, one-sided, observes the interests of only the Georgian side, we decided that it was pointless to discuss the issue of refugees in Geneva against this background,” says Dzhioev.
The South Ossetian party proposes to discuss these issues first of all in Geneva, so that the Georgian party will cease to bring its politicized resolution to the podium of the UN General Assembly.
“Otherwise, we are ready to discuss this important problem for us at any venue where our equal representation will be. At the same time, we repeatedly appealed both to the UN and to the US authorities, so that we were given the opportunity to speak at the UN General Assembly, and bring our position to them. However, we do not find understanding, and therefore we believe that it is meaningless to discuss this issue in Geneva, and the problem will not be solved,” the Plenipotentiary stressed.
Murat Dzhioev has reminded that more than one hundred thousand Ossetians were expelled from Georgia and South Ossetia since 1990 on a national, ethnic basis, and their problem has not yet been resolved.
As for the security issue, the Plenipotentiary believes that it is moving rather difficult, since the Georgian side and its Western patrons are doing everything to slow down this issue.
“Nevertheless, we intend to continue working in this direction, since the Geneva discussions are an important international platform where we can raise issues of concern to the people of South Ossetia,” said Dzhioev.
