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Geneva co-chairs visit Tskhinvali, Sukhumi

By Mzia Kupunia
Monday, May 16
Geneva talks co-chairmen Pier Morel of the EU, Anti Turunen of the UN and Giedrius Cekuolis of the OSCE visited Georgia’s breakaway region of South Ossetia on Thursday. They met Boris Chochiev, Special Representative of the de facto South Ossetian President in Post Conflict Regulation Issues and the members of the Tskhinvali delegation to Geneva discussions in Tskhinvali.

According to the information agency RES, Chochiev noted that the situation has become “more calm” at the administrative border between Georgia and Tskhinvali region. “The people living in the Georgian villages along the South Ossetian border have realized that it is a secured border, and this has led to fewer violations. If such incidents happen, they are immediately discussed at the meetings in Incidents Prevention and Response Mechanism format,” the de facto official noted.

Chochiev told Geneva talks co-chairs that South Ossetia is waiting for “new proposals” from them in terms of signing a non-use of force document between Tbilisi and Tskhinvali. “We are also alarmed by the active work of the Saakashvili regime with the US and other NATO member states in terms of buying arms. Unfortunately we do not hear any reaction from the UN, OSCE or the EU on this issue,” RES quoted Chochiev as saying.

EU’s Pier Morel said at the meeting that the negotiations in Geneva are progressing “with some difficulties, but still moving forward,” RES reported “we stay convinced that a field for resolving our tasks is becoming broader.” According to South Ossetian media, later the talks between the de facto authorities and the Geneva co-chairs continued behind closed doors.

On May 10 Morel, Turunen and Cekuolis visited Sukhumi and held closed door meetings with the de facto Abkhazian officials. After the meeting Pier Morel told journalists that the sides talked about the issues which are discussed at the security and the human rights working groups in Geneva. OSCE’s Cekuolis said that the meeting in Sukhumi was held in a “constructive and friendly atmosphere.” “It is another step towards preparing the 16th round of discussions,” the Geneva talks co-chair said.

The next round of negotiations in Switzerland is scheduled to take place on June 7.