Russia hopes for constructive Geneva discussion on Abkhazia

 

Russia expects that the next round of Geneva discussions on security and stability in Transcaucasia, opening on Wednesday, will be constructive, the head of the Russian delegation, Grigory Karasin, told Tass on Wednesday.“We expect a serious and pragmatic approach to discussions on all issues around the situation in the region,” said Karasin, who is Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister.

Russia expects that the next round of Geneva discussions on security and stability in Transcaucasia, opening on Wednesday, will be constructive, the head of the Russian delegation, Grigory Karasin, told Tass on Wednesday.“We expect a serious and pragmatic approach to discussions on all issues around the situation in the region,” said Karasin, who is Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, reports ITAR-TASS.

“The agenda (of the discussions) includes the situation with security in the border areas of Abkhazia and Georgia, as well as the text of the planned joint statement of the discussion participants on the non-use of force,” Abkhazian Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Chirikba said, quoted by ITAR-TASS, adding the Abkhazian side in the working group on security would against raise the issue of the freedom of movement of Abkhazian citizens.

 

“The Georgian side and other discussion participants will most likely raise the issue of the new big Treaty on Allied Relations and Strategic Partnership between Abkhazia and Russia that was signed in Sochi on November 24,” Chirikba said. “As you know, in connection with the treaty signing Georgia accuses Russia of all but annexation of Abkhazia. Of course, these are ungrounded speculations and the Abkhazian side has plenty of arguments to dispel such allegations.”