# Geneva International Discussions (15 October 2008 onward)

URL: https://allhistories.com/georgia/timeline/2008-geneva-international-discussions
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Themes: NATO, Security

The first session of the Geneva International Discussions took place on 15 October 2008, under the terms of the ceasefire agreed after the war. They are co-chaired by the EU, the UN and the OSCE. Georgia, Russia, the United States and representatives of Abkhazia and South Ossetia take part, usually several times a year at the Palais des Nations. Two working groups deal with security and humanitarian issues such as freedom of movement, cultural heritage, displaced persons and refugees. An Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism, set up locally, handles day-to-day incidents along the administrative boundary lines. Georgia's unilateral pledge of non-use of force in November 2010 was rejected by Russia and the two entities in its current form. The talks produced technical arrangements on incident reporting and humanitarian contact but no breakthrough on status, return of displaced people or binding non-use of force. Analysts describe them as conflict management rather than resolution. They continued despite Covid-19 disruptions in 2020 and 2021. Meetings continue, and the format has outlasted several changes of government in Tbilisi. At this point in the timeline (2008), President Mikheil Saakashvili (20 January 2008 – 17 November 2013) led the Republic of Georgia, while Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze (22 November 2007 – 1 November 2008) headed the government.

## Why it matters
It is the only regular forum where all parties meet on post-war issues, even though it has not settled status questions.

Ruler at the Time: [Mikheil Saakashvili (second term)](https://allhistories.com/georgia/rulers/mikheil-saakashvili-second-term)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Geneva International Discussions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_International_Discussions)
- [Wikipedia — Russo-Georgian War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russo-Georgian_War)