Georgia, Russia holding talks in Geneva

PanARMENIAN.Net - Georgian and Russian officials are in Geneva for key talks on the recent conflict over Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia.



The talks - which are being mediated by the UN, the EU and the OSCE - are aimed at encouraging stability and security in the Caucasus. But they are unlikely to provide a solution to the dispute, diplomats say.



Last week, Russian troops left their self-imposed buffer zones around Abkhazia and South Ossetia, in accordance with a French-brokered ceasefire deal. But Moscow has said it plans to keep nearly 8,000 soldiers in the two rebel regions.



Georgia - which has cut off its diplomatic ties with Russia - says the two regions are integral parts of its territory, demanding an immediate pullout of the Russian troops.



Diplomats described the day's events in Geneva as "proximity talks", with representatives of the various international organisations shuttling between Georgian and Russian officials.



On Tuesday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in Geneva: "The international discussion that shall take place tomorrow is a beginning. This should not be seen as the end. "It may take time, so we need to have some patience," he added.



Alexander Stubb, the current chairman of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, said: "We know that this is a long process, we're taking it slowly, step by step."



Another major sticking point is the format of the talks themselves. Russia has been pressing for the inclusion of representatives from Abkhazia and South Ossetia in any discussions, but Georgia strongly opposes to the move. Representatives from the two regions are in Geneva, but their role is unclear.



Diplomats in Geneva are so nervous that they would not confirm who was sitting in the meeting room, BBC reports.