Group of Friends Seeks Tangible Results in Abkhaz Peace Process

The UN-sponsored Georgian-Abkhaz talks wrapped up in Geneva on February 3, during which the key countries involved in the peace process stressed the need to address the core political cause of the conflict between the Georgian and Abkhaz sides.

In a press statement issued on February 3, the so-called Group of Friends of the Secretary-General, uniting Germany, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States, underlined that the basis of their efforts was the settlement of the conflict by peaceful means and in the framework of relevant Security Council resolutions.

The Group “underscored the urgent need for tangible results in the peace process and agreed that, in addition to continuing work on confidence-building measures, including the finalization of the package of documents on non-use of force and the return of internally displaced persons and refugees, there was a need to address the core political issues of the conflict.”