Press Statement by the U.S. Delegation
Geneva, December 12, 2018
At the forty-sixth round of the Geneva International Discussions (GID) on the conflict in Georgia, December 11-12, the United States welcomed efforts by the GID Co-Chairs and participants to re-convene the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) meetings in Gali and Ergneti as soon as possible. The delegation also noted positively the constructive statements of participants affirming the value of the GID and the IPRMs in addressing the ongoing security and humanitarian consequences of the 2008 war.
The United States acknowledged, with gratitude, the GID Co-Chairs’ progress toward advancing and deepening the discussions, including through organizing an Information Session on “Women, Peace, and Security.”
The United States again called for greater cooperation from the de facto Abkhaz and South Ossetian authorities in conducting full and transparent investigations into the deaths of Georgian citizens Archil Tatunashvili and Giga Otkhozoria.
The U.S. delegation reiterated its concern over the failure to implement fully the terms of the 2008 ceasefire agreement, especially with regard to the withdrawal of Russian forces to pre-2008 positions and the establishment of international security mechanisms.
The United States welcomes the Co-Chairs’ efforts to generate a consensus on fundamental humanitarian principles in Working Group II, and it regrets that de facto authorities refused to engage in a discussion on these principles, instead walking out of the discussions. Such walkouts deprive participants of the chance to discuss critical humanitarian issues that affect thousands of civilians.
Together with Georgia, Russia, and representatives of the de facto Abkhaz and South Ossetian authorities, the United States participates in the GID, which are co-chaired by the EU, UN, and OSCE.
The United States fully supports Georgia’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.