U.S. Caucasus Negotiator 'Has Robust Travel Schedule', State Department Says

Ambassador Philip Reeker, State Department's recently appointed senior adviser for Caucasus Negotiations, "has a robust travel schedule reflective of his work," a State Department spokesperson on Sunday told TURAN's Washington correspondent.

"This included representing the U.S Delegation at the 56th Geneva International Discussions [on the Conflict in Georgia] on October 5 in Switzerland," a spokesperson noted.

In terms of the Ambassador's upcoming travel, the State Department didn't immediately have "any specific updates to share at this time," as the spokesperson put it.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken in late August appointed Ambassador Reeker as his Senior Advisor, who last month visited the region in his first trip in this new role. Reeker also was present during Secretary Blinken's meeting with Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers in New York.

Following the Geneva talks on Georgian conflict, the U.S. last week called upon Russia, as a party to the conflict, to fulfill immediately its clear commitment under the EU-mediated August 12, 2008, ceasefire to withdraw its forces to pre-conflict positions, as well as to uphold its commitments to allow unfettered access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and not to impede creation of international security arrangements on the ground.

"The occupation of 20 percent of Georgia’s territory by Russia’s forces undermines Georgia’s sovereignty, as does Russia’s ongoing borderization," Elisabeth Rosenstock-Siller, political counselor at the U.S. Mission to the OSCE, said in an October 13 statement delivered to the Permanent Council.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.