Concern was expressed over continued tensions in the Georgian-South Ossetian border region, especially in the vicinity of the village of Tsnelis.
Russia at the next round of the Geneva discussions on security and stability in Transcaucasia reiterated the need to ensure access for Abkhazia and South Ossetia to international platforms.
According to the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry, at the meeting "the Russian party emphasized the categoricity of resuming the work on the statement of the participants in the Discussions on the non-use of force. Its adoption would be a real contribution to ensuring stability and security in Transcaucasia. Abkhaz and South Ossetian partners solidified with our approach. Unfortunately, the Georgian delegation, backed by the United States, has remained in the same negative position. "
"The Russian party reiterated the need to ensure access for the representatives of Abkhazia and South Ossetia to relevant international venues, especially the UN system. Solving this problem, together with Georgia’s refusal to advance its annual resolution of the UN General Assembly on internally displaced persons and refugees, will help unlock the subject consideration of this complex of issues within the framework of the Geneva discussions, "the Ministry noted.
According to the report, the meeting "expressed concern about the continuing tension in the Georgian-South Ossetian border area, especially in the vicinity of the village of Tsnelis. The Russian delegation again called on the parties to exercise restraint and seek ways to resolve the disputed issues, primarily within the framework of the existing mechanism to prevent and respond to "incidents (IPRM) in Ergneti, and also spoke out in favor of the early start of negotiations between Georgia and South Ossetia on border issues."
"The participants reaffirmed the importance of resolving humanitarian problems, including facilitating contacts between people and simplifying the border crossing regime," the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized.
An agreement was reached to hold the next meeting of the Geneva discussions in late March - early April 2020.
The 50th round of the International Discussions on Security and Stability in Transcaucasia with the participation of representatives of Abkhazia, Georgia, South Ossetia, Russia and the United States under the co-chairmanship of the European Union, UN and OSCE was held in Geneva on December 10-11.
