Sokhumi, Tbilisi Agree on Talks in Quadripartite Format

Sokhumi has agreed to resume talks on security issues, the Abkhaz news agency, Apsnipress, reported on June 29.

The decision, which will see talks being held in the framework of the quadripartite format, was made following a two-day meeting of the UN Secretary General”s Group of Friends – France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States – in Bonn on June 27-28. Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Merab Antadze and Foreign Minister of breakaway Abkhazia Sergey Shamba were also present at the meeting.

The weekly quadripartite talks, known informally as the “Chuburkhinji sessions,” have not been held since November 2006. They used to involve representatives of the Georgian and Abkhaz sides, along with Russian peacekeepers and UN observers, to discuss routine ongoing developments in the conflict zone.

The UN Observer Mission in Georgia said in a statement on June 29 that although the Georgian and Abkhaz sides” positions “continued to differ on a range of issues” the parties were able to agree on several steps relating to “security, dialogue and confidence building.”

“Among other things, they agreed to resume dialogue on security in the zone of conflict. They also agreed to cooperate in implementing the European Commission-funded rehabilitation program, as well as a number of humanitarian initiatives,” UNOMIG said.

After the meeting with the Group of Friends, Shamba expressed his satisfaction with the progress made.

“Complaints were levelled at the Georgian side… the Group of Friends demanded clarification on the situation regarding the abduction of Davit Sigua [an ethnic Georgian who had served in the Abkhaz administration],” Shamba said.

The Georgian State Minister”s press office said that the Georgian side had reaffirmed during the meeting its “three baskets” approach, involving security guarantees; the return of refugees and internally displaced persons; and economic rehabilitation and development of links between the peoples.

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