'Failure of Geneva talks to negatively affect Russia's image'

The breakdown of the Geneva talks will negatively affect the image of Russia, Georgian Deputy Secretary of Security Council Batu Kutelia told journalists on Thursday.

Kutelia responded to an announcement made by head of the EU observation mission in Georgia Andrzej Tiskevicius as persona non grata by the Sukhumi separatist regime.

However Kutelia expressed hope that the threat to breakdown Geneva talks will not be realized.

"Geneva talks is the only international format, where we talk about these issues. It is very important. Georgia is quite constructive in this format, and we try to maximize the opportunities offered by the Geneva format," Kutelia said.

According to Kutelia, if negotiations breakdown, the "main culprit" will be the Russian Federation. "Of course, it will have a very bad impact on Russia's image and confirm once more that Russia is a major source of destabilization," Kutelia said.

Russia is trying to discredit and weaken the EU monitoring mission in Georgia aimed at further escalation of the situation in the region, said the secretary of the National Security Council of Georgia Giga Bokeria, commenting on the announcement head of the EU observation mission in Georgia Andrzej Tiskevicius as persona non grata by de
facto Abkhaz Foreign Ministry.

"EU Monitoring Mission is one of the major international instruments of peace and stability, and anyone who wants to save the peace, wants the mission to function smoothly. And those who are against the EU mission, directly manifests its hidden agenda against the peace and stability" Bokeria said.

The Geneva talks were convened after the armed conflict in Georgia in August 2008, in accordance with the Ceasefire Agreement dated Aug.12.

Military actions were launched in the Georgian region of South Ossetia on Aug.8, 2008. Later Russian troops occupied the city of Tskhinvali and drove the Georgian military back. Russia recognised the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in late August.

In response, Tbilisi broke off diplomatic relations with Moscow and announced the two unrecognised republics as occupied territories.


/Trend/