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Saakashvili Blames Russia for Collapse of Talks
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has blamed Russia for the collapse of talks on South Ossetia and Abkhazia that started today in Geneva. “In spite of the fact that Georgia was very constructive and this was the first chance to hold serious negotiations with the mediation of the European Union and United States, the Russian delegation walked out on the negotiations,” he said.
Saakashvili said that the move proves the impossibility of “anything being accomplished in these conditions.” He added that “We will continue to work with our friends and partners, continue to fight for the deoccupation of Georgia and the withdrawal of the last Russian troops from occupied territory.”
Deputy Abkhazian Foreign Minister Maxim Grindzhia stated about the Russian, South Ossetian and Abkhazian walkout from the negotiations that “I don’t know the exact reason, but possibly it happened because of a statement Georgia made.” The Georgian delegation stated today at the negotiations that it did not want to sit at the same table as the South Ossetian and Abkhazian delegations, calling them “war criminals.”
Russia has insisted that South Ossetia and Georgia be full participants in the negotiations. Georgia and a number of EU countries objected to that. The negotiations had previously been threatened by Georgian accusations that Russia was violating the peace agreement by continuing to occupy the Akhalgori area. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov explained that the Medvedev-Sarkozy plan does not apply to that area. The negotiations have been rescheduled for November 19.
www.kommersant.com
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