The Prime Minister of Georgia held a meeting with OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde.

The conversation’s key topics included the situation in Georgia’s occupied territories, regional affairs, and ongoing democratic reforms.

According to Giorgi Gakharia, the Government of Georgia is committed to continuing close cooperation with the Kingdom of Sweden, including through the OSCE Chairpersonship, with regional conflict resolution as one of its key priorities set by the Swedish side.

Special emphasis was placed on the provocative actions of Russia’s occupation forces and dire humanitarian situation in Georgia’s occupied territories, including detentions of Georgian citizens near the occupation line. The Prime Minister emphasized the grievous facts of Georgian citizen Zaza Gakheladze’s arrest by the occupation forces and his unlawful sentencing to prison by Tskhinvali’s de facto court.

The conversation also revolved around the effective functioning and importance of the formats of the Geneva International Discussions and the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism. Ann Linde reiterated the OSCE’s support for Georgia in conflict-resolution and institutional empowerment efforts.

The meeting also paid attention to the country’s implemented and ongoing democratic reforms seeking to empower Georgia"s most vital institutions.