On November 20 co-chairs of the Geneva discussions on security and stability in Transcaucasia paid a working visit to the Republic of South Ossetia. The delegation was received by the representatives of the Republic of South Ossetia authorities, led by the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Republic of South Ossetia on post-conflict settlement M.K. Jioyev, in Tskhinval.

The sides discussed issues on preparation for the next round of Geneva talks, scheduled for December 11-12 this year, and the current security situation on the border between South Ossetia and Georgia. Participants confirmed the key goal of the Geneva discussions - to ensure lasting security in the region and the exclusion of renewed military conflict. In this context, the South Ossetian side has once again emphasized its position on the need to sign a legally binding agreement on non-use of force between Georgia and the Republic of South Ossetia.

The meeting participants discussed the topic of future meetings in the frames of the Mechanism on prevention and response to incidents (MPRI) and the issues of improvement of their performance. They concentrated on the problem of strengthening of efforts in search for the missing and the fate of wrongfully convicted citizens of South Ossetia by the courts of Georgia.

Current social and economic problems were discussed in frames of humanitarian issues. However, bearing in mind the UNGA resolution on refugees and internally displaced persons adopted in summer in New York at the initiative of Georgia, the South Ossetian side reaffirmed its impossibility to participate in the continuation of the dialogue on this subject in Geneva.

On the eve, November 19, a day trip of the Co-Chairs of the Geneva Discussions to Leningor region of the country took place. They met the leadership and the people of the region.

Tskhinval, November 20, 2012