Russia Not Working On New Format Of Dialogue On Abkhazia, South Ossetia - Ambassador

Russia is not working on creating a new format of political dialogue on Abkhazia and South Ossetia proposed by Georgia, Russian Ambassador to Abkhazia Alexey Dvinyanin told Sputnik, adding that the Geneva format was sufficient.

SUKHUMI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th April, 2019) Russia is not working on creating a new format of political dialogue on Abkhazia and South Ossetia proposed by Georgia, Russian Ambassador to Abkhazia Alexey Dvinyanin told Sputnik, adding that the Geneva format was sufficient.

In March, Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili said that a new international format, within the framework of which it would be possible to hold a political dialogue on the issue of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, should be established.

"Position of the Russian side is that the Geneva format is quite appropriate for fulfilling its mandate, fixed in agreements reached by [then Russian President Dmitry] Medvedev and [then French President Nicolas] Sarkozy on August 12 and September 8, 2008. Thereby, the issue of creating a new format, and especially [of choosing] its participants, is not being worked out by the Russian side," the ambassador said.

The breakaway republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia declared independence from Georgia in the early 1990s. Russia formally recognized their independence after the 2008 military conflict between Tbilisi and Moscow. Georgia still considers the two republics as part of its territory. In 2012, a new government came to power in Georgia. The representatives of the new cabinet have repeatedly stated that they hope for the return of the two republics to Georgia, however only by peaceful means. The representatives of Abkhazia, Georgia, and South Ossetia hold regular meetings within the so-called Geneva discussions.

Sarkozy helped broker a six-point peace agreement between the warring parties in 2008. The agreement included non-use of force, full cessation of hostilities, ensuring free access to humanitarian aid, return of Georgian troops to their permanent bases and return of Russian troops to their pre-war positions.