Statement of the Co-Chairs of the Geneva International Discussions

TIRANA / BRUSSELS / GENEVA – 6 October 2020. The Co-Chairs of the Geneva International Discussions (GID) inform with regret that it was not possible to hold the scheduled round of discussions on 6-7 October in Geneva as previously announced, since not all participants were able to attend.

We strongly believe that face-to-face meetings are critical to prevent security incidents and respond to humanitarian needs, especially at a time when there are worrying developments in the region and a surge of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide.

We intend to continue virtual and when possible, in-person consultations with all participants to prepare for the 51st round, which has now been re-scheduled for early December 2020.

In these consultations, we will reiterate our call on all participants to engage in constructive dialogue and to cooperate across the conflict divides, to provide safety and improve livelihoods, as part of the GID mandate.

We count on the commitment of all participants to the Geneva Discussions and urge all to start preparing as soon as possible so that it can take place. We look forward to continuing the discussions with the participants in the coming weeks, with a view to organizing the 51st GID round in Geneva in December 2020.