PRESS RELEASE : 62nd Round of the Geneva International Discussions – UK statement to the OSCE [November 2024]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 November 2024.
Deputy Ambassador Brown thanks the Co-Chairs of the Geneva International Discussions for their work in the 62nd round of discussions held on 5-6 November.
The United Kingdom continues to strongly support the Geneva International Discussions (GID). We thank the Co-Chairs for their work in the 62nd round of discussions held on 5-6 November, and welcome Magdalena Grono in co-chairing discussions for the first time as EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia. As the only international forum that brings together all sides from the conflict, the GID plays a vital role in trying to achieve a lasting resolution and address the consequences of the conflict.
The United Kingdom welcomes the continued discussion on core issues, in particular the implementation of the 2008 six-point agreement. We encourage further efforts to make tangible progress, and once again call on the Russian Federation to immediately fulfil its obligation under the ceasefire agreement to withdraw its forces to pre-conflict positions and cease all borderisation tactics.
The United Kingdom also welcomes the constructive discussions on humanitarian issues, including freedom of movement, documentation, livelihoods, education and missing persons. We regret that important issues including of internally displaced persons and refugees were once again not discussed due to a walkout by Abkhaz, South Ossetian and Russian participants. It is vitally important that there is movement on these key issues through the GID, and walkouts undermine this process.
We underline our continued support for the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms (IPRM), and urge the resumption of the Gali IPRM without further delay or pre-conditions.
The United Kingdom reaffirms its full support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. We continue to call for immediate and unimpeded access to Georgia’s breakaway regions for international and regional human rights mechanisms to fully implement their mandates.
We welcome the continuation of dialogue on challenging issues through the GID platform, and look forward to the next round of discussions in March 2025.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
