Georgia is creating informal armed groups in the border regions with Abkhazia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin told RIA Novosti following the nineteenth round of international discussions on security and stability in the South Caucasus, which was held in Geneva on Thursday.
"Since January, seven people were killed. There were some armed groups. This is confirmed by Georgian opposition politicians. Georgian side in response to our statements traditionally tried to shift all the responsibility on the Abkhaz side and provocations from the Russian side. But it sounded very unfounded and we with facts and figures showed that we control the situation, we know the specific places where that happens," he said.
He stressed these facts should be of interest for both observers from the European Union, who are responsible for the Georgian territory and Russian border guards, who may be at risk.
The diplomat said that the next round of Geneva talks will be held on June 7-8. The Russian side intends to raise during it in particular the question of the legality of using the term "occupied territory" in relation to South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
"It is clear that this term offends the dignity of the Ossetian and Abkhazian peoples, who are building their own states," Karasin said.
"But most importantly, that the constructive mood of those participating in the Geneva discussions begins to prevail slowly, not as fast as we would like, over the destructive, over the desire to exacerbate tension, artificially stir up instability in various regions of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Georgia.
Military actions were launched in the Georgian territory, South Ossetia on Aug.8 in 2008. Later the Russian troops occupied the Tskhinvali city and drove the Georgian military back. Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in late August. In response, Tbilisi broke off diplomatic relations with Moscow and announced two unrecognized republics as the occupied territories.