Emergency meeting in the format of Mechanisms on Prevention and Reaction to Incidents (MPRI) at the state border of South Ossetia and Georgia was held by the fact that the Interior Ministry of Georgia had placed a police post in the village of Zardiantkari, which is a few hundred meters closer to the state border of South Ossetia, causing tension among the local population.
This has been announced today by the head of the South Ossetian delegation, Deputy Presidential Envoy to the RSO for post-conflict settlement Khokh Gagloity after the meeting of the MPRI participants, which was held in the village of Zardiantkari (Georgia).
He said, the South Ossetian side did not try to interfere with or affect the activities related to security in the territory of Georgia.
"However, we have identified that this fact has caused stress and anxiety in the area. Several families, mostly the elderly people, have left their homes in the village of Zardiantkari, causing overpressure in the neighbouring area "- said Gagloity.
He has pointed out that the actions of the Georgian side are hasty, as have been carried out contrary to the established practice of the Mechanism for Prevention and Reaction to Incidents.
"This issue was raised at a previous meeting of the MPRI, and then the South Ossetian side, as it had become customary, took it for consideration. The results would have had to be announced at the next meeting of MPRI, weproceeded from the team spirit and mutual understanding, - underlined Gagloity. - However, without waiting for the next meeting, moreover, without waiting for the outcome of the agreed protocol on the results of MPRI on June 21, the Georgian police units have carried out the shifting of the post."
He has stressed, that the actions of the Georgian side are unilateral and have created tension among the local population.
"We insisted on the most rapid resolution of this issue. The positions have so far been difficult to become closer, but we agreed that we would compare lists of those people who had left their homes ", - said Gagloity.
In turn, the head of the Georgian delegation Shota Utiashvili told reporters that the Georgians, who had left the village of Zardiantkari in 2008, would be returned in the short run.
"The most important thing is that the Georgians and the Ossetians will again live together in this village. In the past more than 60 families, both Georgians and Ossetians lived here. There will be carried out works on mine clearing of the area, after which the Georgians and the Ossetians will live together again in fraternal peaceful atmosphere ", - assured Utiashvili.
In conclusion, Khokh Gagloity said that in the near future would be held the next meeting of the MPRI, which would be a continuation of the current meeting format.
It should be noted that on July 29 the Georgian police post was placed in the village of Zardiantkari, which is located across the state border from the Ossetian village of Khelchua. In densely populated Zardiantkari are living the Ossetian people, who suffered during the Georgian-Ossetian conflict in 1989-1992. In connection with setting a police post the inhabitants of the village left their homes and appealed to the authorities of South Ossetia for help.
