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Security in South Caucasus to dominate current round of Geneva discussions

It would be vitally important to adopt a statement on the non-use of force in South Caucasus, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin says

Grigory Karasin EPA/SALVATORE DI NOLFI

Grigory Karasin

© EPA/SALVATORE DI NOLFI

GENEVA, June 30 /TASS/. Security matters will dominate the 32nd round of discussions on the situation in the South Caucasus that got under way in Geneva on Tuesday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said in an exclusive interview with TASS.

"It would be vitally important to adopt a statement on the non-use of force [in South Caucasus]," Karasin, who is heading the Russian delegation at the Geneva consultations, said.

"We expect that the sides will continue discussing the main theme of the Geneva consultations — how to guarantee the security of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in compliance with the 2008 decisions," the Russian deputy foreign minister said.

"This discussion will continue. The sides will give a detailed analysis of the real situation on the borders between Abkhazia and Georgia and South Ossetia and Georgia. Monitors from the European Union mission and representatives of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Georgia will also express their views. It’s going to be a detailed conversation," the Russian diplomat went on to say.

"We believe that time has come for participants in the Geneva discussions to adopt a joint declaration on the non-use of force [in South Caucasus] because this need is already ‘overippened’, and the solution of this matter would be vitally important for regional stability," Karasin told TASS.

The Russian delegation had submitted the draft of such a declaration at earlier rounds and the experts discussed its text during subsequent rounds of consultations.

The Geneva discussions on security and stability in the South Caucasus are mediated by the United Nations, the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe [OSCE]. Representatives of Abkhazia, Georgia, Russia, the United States and South Ossetia take part in the consultations. Abkahzian Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Chirikba heads the delegation of Abkhazia; Murat Dzhioyev, an authorized representative of the South Ossetian president for the post-conflict settlement, heads the delegation of South Ossetia; the Georgian delegation is led by First Deputy Foreign Minister David Dondua.

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