Russia and Georgia have agreed on a mechanism to prevent and solve security incidents following international talks in Geneva on their brief war last August, officials said.
According to the mechanism, international monitors and various security structures on the ground should be able to communicate on regular basis, and they can have joint visits to all areas of concern to defuse tension.
The sensitive areas are in and around South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Georgia's two breakaway regions which were recognized by Russia as independent states shortly after the five-day war last August.
In that war, Russian troops defeated Georgian forces trying to regain control over South Ossetia.
"During the discussions of Feb. 17-18 in Geneva, the participants have discussed and agreed by consensus on proposals for joint mechanisms of prevention and resolution of incidents," said Pierre Morel, the EU's special envoy on the crisis in Georgia.
"We consider that the proposals agreed by consensus are an important stage in contributing to stability and security," Morel told a press conference at the UN European headquarters.
He was speaking after the conclusion of the latest round of talks on the Georgia crisis, which were initiated last October under the auspices of the United Nations, the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
The talks were co-chaired by UN, EU and OSCE envoys and participated by senior representatives from Russia, Georgia, the United States, as well as South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
According to the agreed mechanism, the three monitors -- from the UN, EU and OSCE -- and local security officials will meet on a weekly basis, or more often as required. They will also establish a hotline and can conduct joint visits to areas of incidents.
"It's a first tangible step," said the UN's special representative for Georgia Johan Verbekehe, who co-chaired the talks. He added that the mechanism will start work in the very near future.
The progress of talks was also welcomed by representatives from Georgia, Russia and the United States, but they warned that the crucial part of the mechanism is its implementation.
"We think it's a very positive step, but the crucial part comes(now) because this document needs political will from all sides to actually implement it," said Georgia's First Deputy Foreign Minister Giga Bokeria.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said Wednesday it was "a remarkable day" on which the parties achieved something that they failed to in the previous rounds of talks.
"We have to work on the ground now and I hope we will have good results," he added.
US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried said Wednesday's agreement was "a significant success." But he expressed regret that Russia and Georgia failed to open access for humanitarian aid in South Ossetia.
The parties agreed that the next round of Geneva talks should take place in the spring time, but they failed to set a date for it.
(Xinhua News Agency February 19, 2009)