U.S. Participation in the Geneva International Discussions on the Conflict in Georgia
Press Statement by the U.S. Delegation
The United States participated in the thirty-fourth round of the Geneva International Discussions (GID) on the conflict in Georgia December 8-9 in Geneva, Switzerland. Co-chaired by the UN, EU, and OSCE, and including participants from the United States, Georgia, and Russia, as well as the de facto authorities in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the GID is an important forum to address security and humanitarian issues related to the ongoing conflict.
The United States underscored the importance of restarting the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) in Gali as soon as possible in order to improve transparency and stability along the Abkhazia Administrative Boundary Line. Although participants held constructive discussions for most of the round, the United States regrets that the two working groups were not able to complete discussion of their agendas. The United States urges participants to engage constructively on all issues related to the conflict and to use the upcoming round in March 2016 to take practical steps forward on security and humanitarian issues.
The United States reaffirmed its strong commitment to the territorial integrity, independence, and sovereignty of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders.