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Lavrov meets with Georgian counterpart in New York

The meeting was organized in collaboration with Switzerland

© Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

MOSCOW, September 26./TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met on Thursday with his Georgian counterpart David Zalkaliani on the sidelines of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, the Foreign Ministry said in a report.

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South Ossetia, Georgia fail to reach compromise on border situation

The report stated the top diplomats "discussed key issues on the bilateral agenda." Lavrov and Zalkaliani also "exchanged opinions on the issue of regional security," the ministry added. The meeting was organized in collaboration with Switzerland, which represents Russia’s interests since Russia and Georgia have no diplomatic relations, the Foreign Ministry explained.

Severance of diplomatic relations

In August 2008, Georgia attacked South Ossetia, prompting Moscow to defend civilians, many of whom held Russian citizenship, along with Russian peacekeepers. As a result of a five-day war, the Georgian troops were driven out of South Ossetia.

On August 26, 2008, the then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed decrees recognizing the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. In response, Tbilisi severed diplomatic relations with Moscow on September 2, 2008. The Russian Interests Section, where Russian diplomatic and technical staff work, has been operating at the Embassy of Switzerland in Tbilisi since March 2009, while the Georgian Interests Section operates at the Swiss Embassy in Moscow.

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