16 October 2008
Geneva Talks Seek Stability, Security in Georgia, U.S. Says
Russia, Georgia exhibit constructive spirit at initial talks
Washington — The United States welcomes international talks on security and stability in Georgia and its two breakaway regions, a senior U.S. diplomat says.
“These talks underscore the broad international support, with, of course, one exception, for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia,” Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried said.
The United States participated in talks October 15 in Geneva that were co-hosted by the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the United Nations. Representatives from Russia, Georgia and the two regions — South Ossetia and Abkhazia — attended the negotiations, and negotiators agreed to continue the talks November 18.
The talks did begin on a rocky note, though, when the Russian delegation did not attend the opening session of negotiations, Fried said, and then the Georgian delegation did not attend a subsequent informal informational session.
“Still, both Russia and Georgia, I think it fair to say, exhibited a practical spirit and a constructive spirit,” Fried said. “It was clear that both the Russians and the Georgians were looking for ways to move forward and resolve problems rather than create them.”
Fried said the authorities from South Ossetia and Abkhazia did not exhibit a similar cooperative spirit and attempted to force a number of demands.
After walking out of the informational session, “they demanded as a precondition for further talks, basically, treatment which would have meant that they were full national delegations, which no one was prepared to do,” Fried said.
That action, he said, caused the peace and reconciliation talks to end sooner than was planned. However, everyone agreed to resume the talks November 18 in Geneva.
“We hope that these talks can be put on track because there is a need … for practical steps on the ground. That’s the purpose of the talks,” Fried said.
The EU, OSCE and U.N. organizers expect the talks to move forward when they resume next month.
CURRENT SITUATION
“Today, we have started the process of international discussions. All participants came to Geneva and showed their willingness to engage,” said Ambassador Heikki Talvitie, the OSCE special envoy. “Our aim is very practical: to strengthen stability in the region and improve the humanitarian situation.”
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was encouraged by the desire of the participants to resolve the issues between Russia and Georgia and to determine the future of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which have sought to be recognized as independent states. Only Russia and Nicaragua have recognized the two regions.
The talks are not the end, but the beginning, Ban said. “We need to try our best efforts among the parties concerned to restore confidence so that we can establish a good conflict-resolution process in the end,” he said.
At an evening press briefing, Fried, who is assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs and head of the U.S. delegation to the Geneva talks, said it is important to note that Russia has withdrawn its combat forces from uncontested areas in Georgia, but has left forces in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
“Russia is not yet in full compliance with all of the cease-fire [accords] of August 12,” he said. Russia had agreed to withdraw its forces to their lines before the outbreak of hostilities on August 7–8, which should be inside Russian territory. “The only Russian forces that are supposed to remain in South Ossetia and Abkhazia are the peacekeeping forces in the numbers previously set,” he said.
Russian troops had removed their checkpoints in uncontested areas of Georgia by October 8 to fulfill a central requirement of the cease-fire. News reports from across the country indicated there was no violence during the withdrawal.
Russia announced last month that it intended to maintain 7,600 troops in South Ossetia and Abkhazia as part of its new security arrangement with the two regions.
“The situation on the ground is not necessarily stable and it won’t be stable all by itself,” Fried said. And that is why there is a need for the Geneva peace process to deal with the practical steps on the ground, including ways to prevent and resolve conflict and incidents when they arise, he said.
A donors’ conference to help Georgia rebuild after the brief Russo-Georgian war will be held October 22 in Brussels.
The war between Georgia and Russia began August 7 when Georgian army units attacked separatists in South Ossetia. Russia responded the next day by sending thousands of combat troops into Georgian territory.
