Co-chairmen of the Geneva discussions on security in Transcaucasia, arrived today in the Republic on a working visit, went to the border villages of Mugut and Avnevi in Znaur district of South Ossetia, where they visited a Christian church of the 19th century. In the village of Mugut the co-chairs saw the barriers established along the border of South Ossetia, and witnessed the cross, erected by Georgians in South Ossetia, 50 meters away from the state border.
According to the RSO Presidential Envoy for post-conflict settlement Murat Dzhioev, the Co-Chairs have seen that the delimitation works are conducted along the state border of South Ossetia and all the protests, which the Georgian side brings to the international community, are based for political reasons," - said Dzhioev.
He has added that the co-chairs of the Geneva discussions were able to visit the temple of the 19th century in the village of Avnevi.
"Recently, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia appealed to the organization of UNESCO, that
"in South Ossetia and Abkhazia are destroyed historical monuments," - said Dzhioev . - Today, the Co-Chairs of the Geneva Discussions were able once again to make sure that this is not true. South Ossetia is not "at war with monuments," we do not destroy churches and other historic sites. Last year our colleagues also had the opportunity to visit the monastery of Tyre located to the north of Tskhinval, the temples in the villages of Kurta, Kekhvi, Kemert in Tskhinval district, and made sure that not any Christian monument had been destroyed. People of South Ossetia respect the monuments, especially the monuments of the Christian faith, but we are ready to cooperate with UNESCO in terms of preservation and revival of our common Christian shrines and other historical monuments."
Referring to today's meeting of the Co-Chairs in Tskhinval, Dzhioev has noted that its purpose is to prepare for the next round of the Geneva discussions on security in Transcaucasia, scheduled for mid-December.
"My colleagues and I have worked on all the issues that will be discussed at the Geneva discussions, it is, above all, to ensure security of South Ossetia by Georgia, questions relating to the work on the Agreement on the non-use of force, the statements of all participants of the Geneva discussions on the commitment to the principle of the non-use of force,"- said Dzhioev.
According to him, in the course of the meeting were also discussed a number of humanitarian issues, including issues of the South Ossetian citizens jailed in Georgia.
"We requested the co-chairs once again bring to the Georgian leadership our proposals for consideration of the mutual transfer of the jailed citizens, - said the envoy. - We believe that three citizens of South Ossetia in Georgia were sentenced to life imprisonment for purely political reasons. And since in Georgia came to power other forces that are not personally responsible for the atrocities of Saakashvili, we hope that they will re-consider this issue. "
Dzhioev has added that at the meeting were also discussed issues of the missing South Ossetian citizens.
In turn, the EU co-Chairman Philippe Lefort has noted that during the meeting was carried out the intensive work for the upcoming next round of the Geneva discussions.
"We discussed the issues of stability and security in the territories, humanitarian affairs, - said Philippe Lefort. - We hope that we will achieve some progress in the general situation."
The delegation of co-chairs of the Geneva discussions on security in Transcaucasia arrived in South Ossetia today, has included the European Union co-chair Philippe Lefort, the UN co-chair Antti Turunen, representatives of the OSCE and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
