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Geneva talks wrap up with no tangible results

11 December 2014 12:58 (UTC+04:00)
Geneva talks wrap up with no tangible results

By Mushvig Mehdiyev

The 30th round of Geneva talks came to an end with no tangible result. The talks included meetings under international format addressing the Georgian-Russian relations.

Georgia's Deputy Foreign Minister David Dondua, who led the Georgian delegation to Geneva, said the main topic of the talks was the so-called agreement between Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia and Russia

"We condemned the treaty and said if Russia decides to sign the same document with de-facto South Ossetia, it will face a strong international response for attempting to annex the region,” Dondua said.

Dondua added that when it comes to ceasefire, Russia like Georgia should take the responsibility.

"Russian side has tried to discuss Georgian-NATO relations within the due format. However, we announced that the issue is not in line with the format of the Geneva talks,” he said.

Meanwhile, Gregory Karasin, Head of the Russian delegation, Deputy Foreign Minister left the talks without making any comments.

Prior to the latest round of the Geneva talks, Karasin admitted that the treaty between Russia and Abkhazia serves just strengthening of collaboration memorandum signed with Abkhazia after the August war in 2008.

"We deepened our relations with Abkhazia through that treaty. Georgia is also trying to intensify its relations with NATO and other actors like the U.S.,” Karasin said.

United States representatives, Deputy Assistant of State in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Eric Rubin, who attend the meeting, said the U.S. was concerned about the Russia-Abkhazia treaty.

"We have expressed our position clearly during the talks,” he said, adding that the treaty may affect the Geneva format and peace negotiations between Russia and Georgia.

The Geneva talks began after the August war in 2008. The talks are co-chaired by representatives from the EU, UN and OSCE. They are held in two working groups – one addressing security issues on the ground, among them international security arrangements and the non-use of force, and another one humanitarian issues.

Georgia's relations with Russia escalated to reach its climax after the official agreement, signed on November 24, clinched separatist Abkhazia's approximation to Russia. The Georgian authorities have immediately denounced the accord, vowing to do utmost to eradicate that document.

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