Statement by the U.S. Delegation
The United States participated in the thirty first round of the Geneva International Discussions on the conflict in Georgia.
We regretted today’s signing of an agreement on alliance and integration between Russia and the de facto authorities in the Georgian region of South Ossetia. This agreement represents another clear violation of Georgia’s sovereignty. Unfortunately, today’s signing also distracted from our focus on the security and humanitarian issues affecting conflict-affected areas in Georgia.
Despite these disagreements, we note that there was constructive discussion in both working groups. We hope that in upcoming rounds, the participants will engage fully on all agenda items.
The United States reaffirmed its strong commitment to the territorial integrity, independence, and sovereignty of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders, and to support progress in the Geneva Discussions toward ameliorating the impact of this long-standing conflict on the civilian populations. The United States appreciates the work of the three Geneva co-chairs, and is committed to support progress in all aspects of the Geneva Discussions.