The Georgian delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Giga Bokeria left for Geneva to participate in talks planned for November 18-19.

The first round of EU, OSCE and UN-mediated talks in Geneva was held on October 15. It, however, was suspended because of, as mediators said, “procedural difficulties” – involving disagreement over the role and status of the Abkhaz and South Ossetian representatives at the talks. The negotiations were adjourned with the Georgian and Russian sides failing to even meet face-to-face.

Malkhaz Akishbaia, the head of the Tbilisi-loyal Abkhaz government-in-exile, and Dimitri Sanakoev, the head of the Tbilisi-backed South Ossetian provisional administration, are part of the Georgian delegation.

“We will have an opportunity to launch a conversation about those severe problems, without solution of which it will be impossible to return internally displaced persons or to hold a political dialogue about peaceful settlement of these conflicts,” Bokeria told reporters before departure on November 17. “This is possible only in case of de-occupation, in case of implementing the ceasefire agreement and replacement of occupational troops by real peacekeeping forces.”