Peter Stano, the Spokesperson for the external affairs of the European Union, said the bloc remained committed to its active involvement in the Geneva International Discussions [GID] as a Co-Chair of the talks.

“The EU welcomed the fact of the 56th round of the talks - established as a platform for meetings on the consequences of the 2008 conflict in Georgia - was convening in Switzerland today, stressing that since October 2008, the EU has been actively involved in conflict resolution efforts and served as Co-Chair together with the UN and OSCE.

The GID remains the key platform in which the consequences of the conflict and other important issues are addressed. It serves to build confidence and to respond to pressing humanitarian needs of the local population. This is of even greater importance in the current geopolitical context”, - reads the statement.