In a video clip created by the opposition Alliance of Patriots party and aired by Obieqtivi TV since August 6, the party calls for the abolition of the Law on Occupied Territories and simultaneously advocates direct negotiations with Russia. In the clip, the party leaders call on the government to launch direct dialogue with Russia, as well as on the population to participate in the rallies to achieve this goal.
Giorgi Lomia: “Simultaneously, direct dialogue with Abkhazians, Ossetians and Russians aimed at conflict resolution has been declared as a treachery…”
Irma Inashvili: “It is a well-known fact that Japan did not suspend dialogue with the United States even after the latter dropped an atomic bomb on it. Let me remind you that just dialogue united Germany. Saakashvili, Bokeria and their supporters claim that dialogue is equal to treachery, that dialogue will cause harm to us. But actually only dialogue will rectify the harm caused by Saakashvili and Bokeria…”
Emzar Kvitsiani: “If you support European integration and simultaneously direct dialogue with Russians…
join our rallies.”
The Geneva International Discussions (GID), launched in 2008 to address the consequences of the 2008 Russian-Georgian war, represent an important format of negotiations as Georgia is not left alone with the aggressor and all important international partners of the country are involved.
As a result of the full scale military aggression carried out by Russia against Georgia, occupation of its integral parts, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region, and recognition of their independence, Georgia cut diplomatic ties with the Russian Federation on September 2, 2008. The Geneva International Discussions were launched after the August 2008 war to ensure the implementation of the August 12, 2008, six-point ceasefire agreement. It is the only format, which provides an opportunity for holding a dialogue with the representatives of Sokhumi and Tskhinvali. The Geneva International Discussions are co-chaired by UN, OSCE and EU and they involve the representatives from Georgia, Russia and the United States, as well as members of Georgian exiled administrations of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia.
The Geneva International Discussions are held in two working groups:
- The first working group discusses security issues, in particular signing of a non-use of force agreement between Russia and Georgia and creation of international security arrangements in Georgia’s occupied regions. Although Georgia has already made a unilateral pledge on non-use of force, Russia refuses to reciprocate.
- The second working group discusses the issues related to the safe and dignified return of IDPs and refugees to their homes, as well as other humanitarian issues – Georgian language instruction at schools, cultural heritage protection, free movement across the occupation line, etc. The Russian Federation neglects the rights of IDP population and constantly politicizes the issue of their return.
According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry, the Government of Georgia welcomes the Geneva International Discussions as the only format for ensuring the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and reiterates its readiness for constructive engagement.
Below we offer the remarks made by Davit Sikharulidze of the Atlantic Council of Georgia and Nodar Kharshiladze of the Georgian Strategic Analysis Center on the importance of this format for Georgia.
Davit Sikharulidze supposes that lack of dialogue is not the key problem in Russian-Georgian relations; he says that Russia does not want to see Georgia as an institutionally strong and independent state. Sikharulidze also notes that the negotiations with Russia are effective only when western partners and international organizations are also involved, adding that the Geneva International Discussions serve as an example of it.
Kharshiladze says that Georgia’s choice to be part of the independent and civilized world is unacceptable for Russia. Therefore, any dialogue with this country has no sense and will only result in making concessions by Georgia. He also supposes that Alliance of Patriots was instructed by Moscow to make such calls aimed at holding a pseudo-dialogue with Russian based on illusory goals that will only discredit Georgia in the West.
