The 49th meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) in Gali, chaired by the UN, with participation of the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM), was held on the 19 September 2017.
The meeting was conducted in a constructive and business-like atmosphere.
The killing of Giga Otkhozoria on the 19 May 2016 at the Administrative Boundary Line remains on the agenda, but no substantial progress was achieved.
A number of recent detention cases were discussed – a useful exchange took place and participants committed to providing updates over the Hotline.
Participants presented diverging views on the issue of ‘borderisation’, where the EUMM stressed the importance of freedom of movement and access to land for local residents.
Participants took note of declining numbers of school children crossing the Administrative Boundary Line by the start of the current school year, compared to the previous year. The EUMM, in this context, highlighted the importance of education in one’s mother tongue, and of facilitating crossings for school children.
Furthermore, the EUMM reiterated its calls to strenghting the exchange of information on activities by military and other security actors, in order to support stability and build confidence.
The next IPRM meeting will take place in Gali on 25 October 2017.