A preparatory meeting for the next round of the Geneva International Discussions has been held

The FINANCIAL — On 23 May 2016, the Georgian Foreign Ministry hosted a preparatory meeting for the 36th round of the Geneva International Discussions between Georgia’s representatives and the EU, UN and OSCE Co-chairs. Deputy Foreign Minister, head of the Georgian delegation to the Geneva International Discussions David Dondua led the meeting from the Georgian side.

The Deputy Foreign Minister put special emphasis on the fatal shooting of a Georgian citizen by the occupation regime’s serviceman on 19 May in the village of Khurcha and called upon the Co-Chairs for due action. David Dondua underlined the need to put into place Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms in Gali in due time and in this regard to hold a special meeting this week. The Georgian side also underlined the necessity of carrying out effective measures in the occupied regions with a view to creating international security arrangements.

David Dondua expressed his concern over the plans of the Tskhinvali region authorities to hold a referendum on the possibility of joining the Russian Federation and called on the international organisations to carry out the preventive measures, according to MFA of Georgia.

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The participants of the meeting summed up the results of the 35th round of the Geneva Discussions and discussed the issues on the agenda of the next round. The Georgian side provided the Co-chairs with information regarding the security, human rights and heavy humanitarian situation in Georgia’s occupied territories. Extensive discussion took place concerning the restrictions to the provision of education in Georgian language in the occupied territories, with particular emphasis on the situation in the Gali region. The Georgian side expressed its concern over the adoption of discriminatory regulations against ethnic Georgians living in the occupied regions.

The Georgian delegations once again underlined the necessity of non-use of force commitment by Russia, creation of international security arrangements necessary to ensure the implementation of the 12 August 2008 Ceasefire Agreement and the necessity of safe and dignified return of the IDPs.

The 36th round of the Geneva International Discussions will be held on 14-15 June 2016.