OREANDA-NEWS. June 07, 2010. The eleventh round of international discussions on security and stability in Transcaucasia is due to be held on June 8 in Geneva, Switzerland. The basis for these meetings was laid by the agreements between the presidents of Russia and France of August 12 and September 8, 2008, worked out after the tragic events of August 2008 in South Ossetia. Delegations of the Republic of Abkhazia, Georgia, the Russian Federation, the United States, the Republic of South Ossetia, as well as representatives of the EU, UN and OSCE participate in the discussions on an equal basis. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs/State Secretary Grigory Karasin heads the Russian delegation.

In the upcoming round it is proposed to discuss the current situation on the borders of Abkhazia and South Ossetia with Georgia, including the state of affairs with the work of the joint incident prevention and response mechanisms in the border areas. Recently we became aware of some new incidents that require an objective investigation, particularly in the framework of contacts through these mechanisms. There will continue the search for a solution to the problem of missing and detained persons based on mutually acceptable compromise options.

It still remains the task of the Geneva Discussions to develop legally binding agreements on the non-use of force. The Russian side will continue its efforts toward this end.

The humanitarian issues working group will discuss prospects for resolving the problem of refugees and displaced persons, with emphasis on ensuring their rights, the principle of voluntariness and safety in the return process. The Russian side is ready for practical coordination of a set of generally accepted principles and international standards in this important humanitarian sphere, in order to move towards concrete solutions in this area.