On 24 January 2017, the 42nd meeting of the Gali Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) took place under the chairmanship of the Office of the United Nations Representative to the Geneva International Discussions (UNRGID). It was the first meeting this year, which took place in a businesslike atmosphere. The participants assessed the overall security situation on the ground since the previous IPRM meeting as relatively calm and stable.
The participants discussed in detail the materials, which had been transferred earlier, on the May 2016 killing incident at Khurcha-Nabakevi crossing point, and exchanged views on how to proceed in a pragmatic way. They were encouraged to further develop this trend of cooperation and address concerns of each participant in good faith.
The participants followed up on the issues discussed at the previous meetings. They also discussed new agenda points, with a particular focus on the imminent closure of the two pedestrian crossing points along the line of control and possible implications for the local population. The issues related to changes to the “border zone” in the Gali district were also discussed, and concerns were expressed about the possible negative impact on freedom of movement. The Chair appealed to the respective participants to look into the matter from the humanitarian point of view and to take into consideration the well-being of the local population, especially schoolchildren and people traveling for medical purposes.
Furthermore, the participants discussed the issues related to sensitive activities, such as military exercises, and the need to exchange advanced notice with the purpose to enhance transparency and avoid misperceptions.
The participants agreed to hold the 43rd IPRM meeting on 22 February 2017.