Russia and Georgia on Wednesday agreed on security mechanisms aimed to prevent and solve incidents in the regions that experienced a war between the two sides last August.
The agreement was reached following two days of talks in Geneva under the auspices of the United Nations, the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
In the Geneva discussions, "participants have discussed and agreed by consensus on proposals for joint incident prevention and resolution mechanisms," said Pierre Morel, the EU's special envoy on the crisis in Georgia.
The mechanisms are required to prevent and, where necessary, respond to incidents that could cause suffering to civilian populations or risk deterioration of the situation, Morel, one of the co-chairs of the talks, told a press conference.
He said the mechanisms would allow for regular contacts between structures responsible for security and public order in areas of tension, and relevant international organizations.
Relevant structures and organizations on the ground will meet on a weekly basis, or more often as required. And once incidents happen, agreed joint visits may be conducted, he added.
Present at the two-day discussions were representatives from Russia, Georgia, the United States, as well as Georgia's two breakaway regions, South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Russia recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states shortly after its five-day war with Georgia last August, in which Russian troops defeated Georgian forces trying to regain control over South Ossetia.
Shootings and abductions have been reported along the de facto border between Georgia and South Ossetia since the armed conflict ended, with both sides blaming each other for continuing violence.