EU, OSCE and the UN top officials have welcomed the recent meeting between Georgian and Russian Foreign Ministers David Zalkaliani and Sergey Lavrov which was the first high-level meeting of top officials from the two countries after the suspension of diplomatic ties back in 2008, due to the Russia-Georgia war.
Georgian, Russian Foreign Ministers hold first meeting since suspension of diplomatic ties in 2008
Statements released by the EU, OSCE and the UN saw the meeting as the possibility of a constructive dialogue and to ease tension in the relations of the two countries.
The meeting was an important opportunity to discuss regional security issues, to lower tensions in Georgia-Russia relations, and to address the impact of these tensions on citizens. Dialogue is key for peaceful dispute settlement, which the European Union fully supports,” the EU office for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy said.
Today’s meeting between the Foreign Ministers of #Georgia & #Russia, facilitated by Swiss mediators, is important: It shows there is hope that constructive #dialogue can decrease tensions and strengthen stability to the benefit of all people in the OSCE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OSCE region.
— Miroslav Lajčák (@MiroslavLajcak) September 26, 2019
The statement by the EU says that it is important that all actors engage constructively to alleviate the situation of the conflict-affected population in Georgia.
Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the UN, stated that he welcomed the meeting held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York yesterday, between Georgian and Russian foreign ministers.
OSCE Chairman Miroslav Lajcak tweeted that the meeting “shows there is hope that constructive dialogue can decrease tensions.”
Zalkaliani said that the meeting with Lavrov should not be considered as the change of existing format of negotiations with Russia.
He stated that he raised “all the issues” which concerns Georgia at the meeting.
