Geneva talks yield no tangible progress

The 23rd round of the Geneva negotiations, which started after the Russian invasion of Georgia in August 2008, was held this past March. These negotiations have so far been for the sake of negotiating only. They are ongoing. However, they have yielded no results thus far.

From the very beginning of the negotiations, Russia began demanding that Tbilisi sign a document with Sokhumi and Tskhinvali on the non-use of force. Of course the Kremlin knows very well that there will be no threat from the Georgian side towards its breakaway territories which are currently filled with Russian armed forces.

Of course Moscow is not scared, but they still want Georgia to sign an agreement with its own regions, which means that indirectly, Tbilisi will recognize these puppet regimes as equal legal entities.

After the last round of negotiations in March, Russia’s chief negotiator, Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin, accused the Georgian side in holding up the negotiation process. Karasin outlined that the major role of these negotiations is that Georgia should sign the document on the non-use of force.

Meanwhile, Tbilisi demands that Russia meet its commitments not to use force. As a matter of fact, Georgia reiterated repeatedly its decision not to use force for solving the conflict.

In the 6-point cease fire agreement of 2008 Tbilisi has already met its commitment with regard to the non-use of force, whereas Moscow refuses to do so, because if the Kremlin honors this commitment, it will acknowledge the questionable legality in its role in the war.

Soon Moscow wants to show the rest of the world that Tbilisi had conflicts with its own territories; whereas Moscow is only the “a peacekeeper.”

How Russia kept peace in these territories is clear to anyone who is more or less familiar with the situation on the ground. In reality, Russia has embarked on a creeping annexation of Georgian territories, which culminated in the open aggression against Georgia in 2008.

In Geneva, the Georgian side once again demanded from the participating sides to secure the return of IDPs to the places of their original dwelling. However, the puppet regimes backed by Russia continue to ignore this issue. Moreover, Russia is interfering in changing the demographic picture in the territories by granting its military servicemen an opportunity to settle down and create families there.

Some politicians and analysts in Georgia think that Tbilisi should make some concessions, but it is a very risky game which could result in Georgia finally loosing the chance to reintegrate the occupied territories.