You're reading: Tbilisi blames Moscow for disrupting Geneva talks on Caucasus security

Tbilisi - Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kapanadze has accused Moscow of disrupting the recent Geneva consultations on stability in the Caucasus.

"The Geneva talks on stability in the Caucasus have been disrupted because of Moscow’s tough position," Kapanadze told Georgian journalists on Wednesday.

Moscow is "trying to change" the format of the Geneva talks, Kapanadze said. "Contrary to the agreements to discuss security and stability issues in Geneva, Russia evaded debates on these issues at yesterday’s meeting and demanded that the status of the occupied Georgian territories, Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region, be discussed," he said.

The diplomat blamed Russia and "the puppet authorities" for the disrupted talks. "Russia’s position was tougher than ever in the three years of the Geneva talks. The representatives of Moscow and the puppet regimes blocked debates on any issues, even relatively insignificant ones. They insisted that the conversation on any subjects could be continued only after the parties reach a consensus on Abkhazia’s and the Tskhinvali region’s status," he said.

Under an earlier agreement, the Geneva talks concerned security and stability and the return of displaced persons, Kapanadze said. "We have not discussed and have not touched upon the status issue, but it was absolutely obvious at this meeting that Moscow was trying to evade this agreement and bring the status issue to the foreground," he said.

"Georgia needs some time to analyze Russia’s new tactics," he said.