West Responsible For Halt in Geneva Talks on South Caucasus, Russian Foreign Ministry Says

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Geneva discussions on South Caucasus are on pause at the initiative of the UN, the EU and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which could have negative consequences for the region, Director of the Fourth Department of the CIS Countries of the Russian Foreign Ministry Denis Gonchar told Sputnik.

According to Gonchar, the negotiations format, which is crucial to security and stability in South Caucasus, "has been taken hostage" by Western "partners."

"In what concerns the Geneva discussions, the work of this format has been put on hold. This is not our choice, the initiative in this case belongs to the ‘troika’ of the co-chairs (UN, EU and OSCE), who by their decision postponed for an indefinite time the regular, 56th round, planned for the end of March," Gonchar told Sputnik.

He emphasized that the responsibility for the canceled talks lies fully with the UN, the EU and the OSCE.

Gonchar stressed that "the unfriendly and politicized steps of the Western ‘partners’ do not help the cause of strengthening stability and security in the South Caucasus" and may "lead to uncertainty in this region."

The Geneva discussions on the relations between Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia have been held since 2008, under the co-chairmanship of the UN, the EU and the OSCE, and with the participation of Russia and the US.

South Ossetia, along with another breakaway region, Abkhazia, declared independence from Georgia in August 2008 following an offensive of the Georgian army. Russia has backed South Ossetia and Abkhazia, while Georgia never recognized their independence and continues to consider them an occupied part of its own territory.