Chairmanship

ERGNETI, 21 June 2012 - The 24th meeting under the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism, co-facilitated by the EU Monitoring Mission and the OSCE, took place in Ergneti.

Participants reviewed the current situation, recent incidents and detentions and the position regarding missing persons. Follow up to the work of the ad hoc Technical Working Group was raised, as was the mutual handover of detainees.  The release of one detainee at the beginning of the meeting by the de facto South Ossetian authorities was welcomed.

The importance of all sides working together to provide effective water supplies for the people on both sides of the Administrative Boundary Line was pointed out.

The Georgian participants informed that they will be performing demining activities in the near future in the vicinity of Toncha, where a recent incident took place. Advance notice of the times and locations of this work will be provided. There was also a discussion about other forthcoming events, including military exercises.

The meeting was held in a constructive atmosphere.

It was agreed that the next meeting will take place on 26 July 2012.

The Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms were established under the Geneva International Discussions, which are co-chaired by the OSCE, the EU and the UN.