UN, OSCE, U.S. Welcome Georgian, Russian FMs’ Meeting

The United Nations, the OSCE and the United States welcome the Swiss-mediated meeting of September 26 between the Georgian and Russian Foreign Ministers, Davit Zalkaliani and Sergey Lavrov, respectively.

UN Secretary General’s Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stated that António Guterres “appreciates Switzerland’s good offices role for this initiative,” and hopes that “it will contribute to overall peace and security in the region.”

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Miroslav Lajčák wrote on his official Twitter page that the meeting between the Georgian and Russian Foreign Ministers “is important.” “It shows there is hope that constructive dialogue can decrease tensions and strengthen stability to the benefit of all people in the OSCE region,” he said.

The United States Embassy to Georgia also wrote that they “support Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and urge Russia to end its illegal occupation and decrease tensions.”

The European Union has also released a statement earlier on September 26, saying that “dialogue is key for peaceful dispute settlement, which the EU fully supports.”

Zalkaliani and Lavrov held the first meeting since the two countries cut diplomatic ties following the Russo-Georgia war in 2008. The Swiss-mediated meeting was held on the sidelines of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

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Georgian, Russian FMs Hold Swiss-Mediated Meeting on UNGA Sidelines

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