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#8 - JRL 2008-190 - JRL Home
Russia to outline security proposals at Caucasus talks Nov.18

MOSCOW, October 17 (RIA Novosti) - Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday Russia would set out specific security proposals at international talks on the Georgian conflict in Geneva on November 18.

"There will be no discussions on the status of [Georgia's breakaway South] Ossetia and Abkhazia, but there will be negotiations on regional security, and Russia has specific proposals on how security should be ensured," Lavrov said.

In particular, he said Russia would insist on an arms embargo to Georgia "to prevent its uncontrolled militarization," and would urge the EU to fulfill its obligations in the region.

The first round of the Geneva talks was suspended until November on Wednesday, due to concerns over the status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, recognized by Russia as independent states.

The Russian minister also said South Ossetians have filed over 2,000 lawsuits against Georgia with the International Criminal Court.

Lavrov said the Geneva talks had hit "procedural snags" due to poor preparation by the organizers. They should have been "more transparent and consulted, including with us, on how best to resolve the procedural issues," he told Russian journalists on his return from Astana.

On Wednesday, Russia and Georgia accused each other of blocking the talks.

"Colleagues from the EU, OSCE and UN were too optimistic about Georgia's position on international discussions, and Georgia just banged the door and refused to sit down at the negotiating table with everyone's participation," Lavrov said.

Russia and Georgia fought a brief war in August after Georgia launched a military offensive against South Ossetia in an attempt to regain control over the republic, which split from Georgia in the early 1990s.