Geneva Talks on Georgian-Russian conflict suspended for 4 months

The 28th round of the Geneva Discussions on Georgia's breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia have concluded abruptly after delegates from the two semi-recognized states walked out on June 18. 

The two-day talks, co-chaired by representatives from the EU, UN, and the OSCE, started on June 17. The talks involve negotiators from the two breakaway republics, as well as from Georgia, Russia, and the United States.

Representatives of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, backed by Russia's negotiator, Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin, left the talks after demanding that the issue of displaced persons and refugees be removed from the agenda, saying the issue had been "politicized" by Tbilisi.

Karasin said that the next round of talks is set to be held in October.

According to Georgian expert Petre Mamradze, Georgian analysts believe that the decision to suspend talks for such a long time is connected to Georgia's plans to sign an association agreement with the EU.

 However Mamradze himself thinks that the reason is much more simple. "I believe the parties are unable to negotiate such sensible issues. They simply cannot fulfil the agenda they drafted themselves," he said.