At the next round of discussions on security and stability in the Caucasus, which will be held on December 14 in Geneva, South Ossetia is going to obtain signing of the document on non-use of force. It has been declared by the presidential envoy of South Ossetia on post-conflict settlement Boris Chochiev during the meeting with the co-chairs of the Geneva discussions in Tskhinval. The delegation has included representatives of the international organizations: EU, OSCE and UN.
The OSCE representative Podrig Murphy who will soon replace Giedrius Chekuolis was introduced at the meeting. Head of the South Ossetian delegation at the Geneva discussions, Boris Chochiev, referring to Murphy, has noted that South Ossetia distrusts the OSCE. "We associate the OSCE with the Saakashvili regime. If the mission complied with its mandate, it could have been possible to avoid the August aggression – Chochiev has emphasized. - You have to exert much effort and energy to convince people that the OSCE - it is not the organization that was functioning in South Ossetia before August 2008." However, he has noted that this does not mean that South Ossetia has the same attitude towards those countries that belong to this organization.
During the meeting, Boris Chochiev provided a summary of the situation in South Ossetia, adding that the security situation at the border of South Ossetia and Georgia had been stabilized; fewer incidents are taking place there. "Violations mostly took place exactly at the border, but now the situation has been stabilizing there. It is important for people to feel safe and that the situation would be peaceful at the border, "- Chochiev has underlined. He also pointed out that one could see some progress under the arrangements for preventing and responding to incidents. "With the appointment of Mr. Tyszkiewicz (Head of the Mission of the European observers) the situation has been improved. I have nothing against his predecessor, Hans Jorg Haber, but he was too politicizing this format. This format should be working, without any policy, and Mr. Tyszkiewicz copes with this task better,"- Chochiev has said. And once again he has stressed the need of continuing the work on the non-use of force document, saying that the delegation of South Ossetia intends to obtain its signing, as well as to raise the discussion of the report of the international commission headed by Heidi Taljavini about the reasons of "the August war." According to Chochiev, in all probability South Ossetia will temporarily suspend participation in the debates, while Mikhail Saakashvili is ruling over Georgia and the Georgian side is still not ready to give South Ossetia the guarantees of non-use of force. It was also stated that there was no progress in solving the refugee problem. Chochiev is going to meet with the head of the UNHCR to discuss this matter. "We are often accused of preventing the free access of humanitarian aid. We put the question another way, -and who is putting obstacles in your way? We cannot accept the aid through Georgia, but we are open through the Russian side", - Chochiev has underlined. In turn, the EU co-chair Philippe Lefor said he did not share the position of South Ossetia concerning OSCE. "But we're here to work and find the answers to all questions"- Lefor has said. Then the co- chairmen were discussing the agenda of the upcoming 18 round of negotiations. The meeting was continued behind closed doors. It should be note that the 18th round of the Geneva talks is scheduled for December 14, 2011.
