FM: Georgia to do everything to preserve format of Geneva talks

The Geneva talks have been held since 2009. They have not given any significant results up to now, Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze said at a joint press conference with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister in Baku on Wednesday.

"We are at the same point where we were after the war," minister said. The Geneva talks were convened after the armed conflict in Georgia in August 2008 in accordance with the ceasefire agreement of August 12.

Military actions were launched in the Georgian territory, South Ossetia on Aug.8 in 2008. Later the Russian troops occupied the Tskhinvali city and drove the Georgian military back. Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in late August. In response, Tbilisi broke off diplomatic relations with Moscow and announced two unrecognized republics as the occupied territories.

Vashadze said that Russia categorically refuses from recognizing itself a party to the conflict and implementing the ceasefire agreement. It also refuses from discussing the issues of Georgia's stability and security and peacekeeping operations.

"Despite this, Georgia will do everything to save the Geneva format," he said.


/Trend/