MOSCOW, August 8. /TASS/. The European Union, the United States, and Switzerland are evidently seeking to break down the work of the Geneva discussions on security and stability in the South Caucasus, Grigory Karasin, chairman of the international committee of Russia’s Federation Council, or upper parliament house, said on Monday.
"The international Geneva discussions, which were set up in 2008 and involve representatives from Sukhum, Tskhinval, Tbilisi, Russia and the United States, with the mediation of the United Nations, the European Union, and the OSCE, are now a key mechanism of deterrence, which ensures predictability and stability in the region," he wrote on his Telegram channel.
He noted that 55 rounds of "substantive dialogue and sharp discussions" have been held. He called the Geneva discussions a safety net of security in the South Caucasus. However, in his words, an alarming tendency is observed in recent months as "the European Union, the United States, and Switzerland are obviously seeking to break down the work of the Geneva discussions under the pretext of the developments in Ukraine." "The last round of discussions was held in December 2021. It is extremely dangerous, since it may lead to deliberate provocations. So, marking another anniversary of [Georgia’s ex-President Mikhail] Saakashvili’s aggression, we must think how to prevent such things in the future," he emphasized.
The international discussions on security and stability in the South Caucasus involving Abkhazia, Russia, Georgia, South Ossetia, and the United States with the mediation of the United Nations, the European Union and the OSCE have been held in Geneva since 2008. The work proceeds in two working groups: on security and on humanitarian issues. The Geneva discussions are the only format of dialogue between Sukhum, Tskhinval and Tbilisi.
The conflict between Georgia and South Ossetia escalated in late July - early August 2008. In the night to August 8, 2008, Georgia, in violation of international agreements on peaceful settlement of the conflict, launched a large-scale military operation against South Ossetia. On August 9, Abkhazia stepped into the conflict. On August 9, Russia deployed its troops to the area to defend Russian nationals and its peacekeepers in the region. The operation to compel Georgia to peace ended on August 12 when Georgian forces were defeated. On August 26, 2008, Russia recognized South Ossetia’s and Abkhazia’s independence.