The latest round of Geneva International Discussions on Georgia’s conflict issues, held on March 4-5, concluded without significant progress, as tensions remain high over the status of Georgia’s Russian-occupied regions.
Georgia’s delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Lasha Darsalia, reiterated calls for Russia to fulfill its obligations under the EU-brokered August 12, 2008 ceasefire agreement and withdraw its troops. Key issues on the agenda included the safe return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees to their homes, as well as ongoing security and humanitarian concerns in the occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions.
“The Georgian delegation expressed concern over the extremely difficult security, humanitarian and human rights situation in the occupied regions,” the Foreign Ministry said. Tbilisi further condemned Russia’s continued military build-up, citing the construction of a naval base in Ochamchire and the reopening of Sokhumi airport as signs of creeping annexation. Additionally, the delegation denounced recent so-called “presidential elections” in Abkhazia and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meeting with the region’s de facto leader, calling it a blatant violation of Georgia’s sovereignty.
Georgia also accused Russia and the breakaway authorities of walking out of negotiations before discussions on the return of IDPs could take place. This issue remains one of the most contentious aspects of the Geneva talks.
In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry referenced comments made last year by Bidzina Ivanishvili, the honorary chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, about the need for Georgia to apologize to Ossetians for the 2008 war. Moscow urged Tbilisi to translate what it described as recent “conciliatory statements” into concrete legal obligations, calling for a formal agreement on the non-use of force against Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Russian officials also alleged that “radical elements” in Georgia’s opposition are “contemplating military action” to regain control over the territories and criticized Tbilisi’s close cooperation with NATO.
De facto representatives of Abkhazia and South Ossetia echoed Moscow’s stance, stating that discussions on IDP returns should not proceed while the issue remains under debate at the United Nations. The de facto authorities also pushed for progress on the delimitation and demarcation of “borders” and emphasized the need to restore the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) in Gali to address security concerns on the ground.
The Geneva International Discussions were established after the 2008 war, bringing together representatives from Georgia, Russia, the US, and the breakaway regions under the mediation of the EU, UN, and OSCE. However, the format has seen repeated deadlocks, with both sides accusing each other of undermining the negotiation process.
