Georgia considers the Neighborhood Peace Initiative open to all, but on condition ...

Baku/03.10.21/Turan: Georgia will continue efforts to create a framework for cooperation in the South Caucasus, First Deputy Foreign Minister Lasha Darsalia said at the conference "Regional cooperation as a step towards peace in the South Caucasus", which was held yesterday in Kakheti. He noted that this cooperation is not directed against someone, but on the contrary, it should create conditions for third countries interested in peace and the development of the South Caucasus (SC) region.

The new Georgian vision of peace and stability in the Caucasus "Peaceful Neighborhood Initiative" was announced by Prime Minister Irakli Gabriashvili at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly. The head of government noted that Tbilisi is ready to  host an international meeting, where prospects for a peaceful good-neighborly initiative, which will include South Caucasian neighbors and international partners, will be discussed. This format will help create dialogue and faith and will be a practical solution to regional issues of common interest with our American and European partners, he said. In Tbilisi, this format was called "3 + 2" (South Caucasian countries + USA, EU).

Georgia initiated the "3 + 2" platform, and as you know, in December 2020, Turkish President Erdogan initiated the "platform of six", which includes the South Caucasian countries, as well as Iran, Russia and Turkey and is aimed at peace and cooperation in the region. Georgia took the initiative coldly, indicating its western vector of development. Is it possible to ensure the interaction of these two platforms, the Turan agency asked Mr. Darsalia.

Georgia is creating a platform for organizing a dialogue between the South Caucasian countries with the aim of inviting cooperation and reducing tensions. We're not talking about platforms, but projects. Our interests are not against someone, in the cooperation of all interested parties. Those who are willing to cooperate can participate in the process. Turkey is an important player in the region and putting forward the 3 + 2 initiative does not mean Turkey's exclusion from the process. Another thing is that Russia has always tried to exclude the United States and the EU from the peace process in the South Caucasus. If Russia thinks about resolving problems, unresolved conflicts, then we will welcome Russia. In general, we are focused primarily on three countries of the South Caucasus, the rest of the seats are open to third countries that accept our initiative, answered Darsalia.

The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan is being resolved within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, a trilateral Statement of November 10, 2020 (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia). They were supplemented by the mediation initiative of the Georgian government. We see an example of the exchange of prisoners of war for maps of minefields, the establishment of a confidential channel between Prime Minister Pashinyan and Presidents Aliyev and Erdogan. One of the Armenian experts believes that Ankara is behind the mediation initiative, we suspect that Washington. How did this initiative come about?

Do not think that someone is behind this. We see a direct correlation between dialogue and tension reduction. From the point of view of the experience of conflicts in the region, we believe that the less interference by the interests of third forces, the faster our countries can come to cooperation. The Georgian agenda is open and transparent, and it is not directed against other geopolitical interests. Our task is to reduce tensions. The main thing on the agenda: less tension, more opportunities, concluded Lasha Darsalia.-0-