On Tenth Anniversary of Conflict in Georgia, Secretary-General Calls for More Action on Refugees, Internally Displaced, Other Security, Humanitarian Issues

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

On the tenth anniversary of the 2008 conflict in Georgia, the Secretary-General recalls that it is a reminder of the need to resolve this and other protracted conflicts in Europe.  This requires increased commitment by the relevant actors, backed by strong political will and a reinvigoration of mediation processes.

The Secretary-General urges all the participants in the Geneva International Discussions to adopt a constructive, forward-looking approach that would allow this indispensable mechanism to fulfil its mandate.  All concerned should prioritize progress through appropriate dialogue and refrain from divisive policies and unilateral actions that may adversely impact regional peace and security.

The Secretary-General recalls that while the Geneva International Discussions and the Incident Response and Prevention Mechanism have substantially contributed to strengthening stability in recent years, more should be done on key security and humanitarian issues, including those related to the plight of the many internally displaced persons and refugees.  The United Nations will continue to fully support this important mechanism and work with the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to achieve progress on all issues.