The 62nd round of the International Discussions on Security and Stability in the Transcaucasia, in which representatives of Abkhazia, Georgia, Russia, the United States and South Ossetia participate, under the co-chairmanship of the UN, OSCE and the EU, has concluded in Geneva.
The delegation of the Republic of Abkhazia, headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Odissei Bigvava, included officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia Lasha Avidzba and Artur Gaguliia.
During the round, the participants discussed all items on the agenda. Various topics were touched upon, in particular, the security situation on the ground. Representatives of all delegations noted that the situation in the region continues to remain relatively calm.
The first group on security issues reaffirmed the priority importance of concluding a legally binding agreement on the non-use of force and on the delimitation and demarcation of the borders between Abkhazia and South Ossetia on the one hand and Georgia on the other. All participants in the process exchanged views on this issue, including the Co-Chairs.
The resumption of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) in the town of Gal once again became a subject of discussion at the meeting.
Representatives of all delegations confirmed their commitment to restoring the Mechanism. However, the contradictory positions of the parties regarding the technical conditions for holding meetings within the framework of the Mechanism remains a factor hindering the implementation of the parties' intentions to revive the IPRM.
The delegations of Russia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia addressed the Co-Chairs with an appeal to transfer the International Discussions from Switzerland to another location while maintaining the negotiation format due to the fact that Switzerland has lost its status as a neutral state.
The second working group focused on freedom of movement for citizens of the Republic of Abkhazia with national passports. It is planned to hold an information session with the participation of an expert at the next round and establish a working group on this important issue.
The next 63rd round of Discussions is scheduled for the first half of March 2025.