The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia reported that Georgian participants in the Geneva talks again declined to engage with proposals aimed at strengthening stability and security in the Transcaucasus. This summary comes via TASS, which captured the gist of the exchange and the reactions from the Abkhaz side.
This statement followed the latest round of international discussions on security and regional stability in the Transcaucasus, held in Geneva on 5-6 December. The talks drew participation from representatives of the United Nations, the European Union, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, along with delegates from Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Georgia, Russia, and the United States. The Abkhaz delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Irakli Tuzhba, who oversaw the Abkhazia position during the discussions.
Across the plenary and related working sessions, the Abkhaz side underscored the imperative of formalizing a legally binding document that guarantees non-use of force at the international level. This document would coordinate security guarantees and, in the view of the Abkhaz negotiators, align with the principles laid out in paragraph 6 of the Medvedev-Sarkozy framework. However, no agreement on advancing this crucial instrument was reached during the Geneva gathering, and the participating side noted that the question remains unresolved at this stage.
In discussions that addressed broader local security concerns, participants observed a relatively calm regional climate and signs of ongoing stability in the area. A majority of delegates stressed the importance of maintaining the work of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) in the city of Gal as a central tool for local security. According to the Abkhazian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there were renewed efforts by Abkhazia to restore the operation of the IPRM, but these efforts did not receive backing from Georgian participants, which hindered progress on reviving the mechanism’s activities.
Earlier remarks in the European Union highlighted questions about spending on strengthening Georgia’s defense capabilities, which adds another layer to the broader security discourse surrounding the region. [cite: TASS, December 2024]