Russia, Georgia conclude talks without reaching substantial agreement

Russia and Georgia concluded on Thursday the 13th round of internationally-mediated talks, without reaching any substantial agreement on major security and humanitarian issues.

EU Special Representative Pierre Morel, one of the co-chairs of the talks, regarded the talks as "difficult session," with only " modest step forward" on several specific issues, such as the imminent removal of the Russian checkpoint in Perevi.

As regarding to security issues, notably the talks on a non-use of force agreement, no substantial progress is made, except for a general acknowledgment on the importance of fully functioning Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms (IPRMs).

The Geneva talks were initiated in October 2008, following a five-day war between Georgia and Russia over South Ossetia in August that year.

Participants include Russia, Georgia, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, the United States as well as the three mediators -- the EU, the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

The next round of talks was scheduled on December 16, Morel said.

Source: Xinhua