Active rapprochement of Georgia with NATO for South Ossetia is an alarming factor, told reporters today the RSO Presidential Envoy for post-conflict settlement Murat Dzhioev after a meeting with the co-chairs of the Geneva discussions on security in Transcaucasia.
According to him, the situation in the Georgian-Ossetian relations still remains difficult, despite the lack of serious incidents.
"The Georgian authorities have not yet come to sign legally binding agreements on the non- use of force against South Ossetia, which would have international warranty and ensure the safety of the people of South Ossetia. At the same time, the recent statements of the Georgian politicians cause alarm. In particular, the statement that in the Georgian territory cannot be any independent state, we regard as a relapse of "zviadizm", "- said Dzhioev.
Another disturbing factor he called rapprochement between Georgia and NATO, recalling that before the war in August 2008, military experts of the US and other Western countries provided active assistance to Georgia.
"Therefore, before granting legal guarantees of security to South Ossetia, we are observing with concern Georgia's rapprochement with NATO," - said the envoy.
He has stressed that in the light of the above the main objective of the Geneva discussions is the security of the peoples of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, "the repetition of the aggressive steps of Georgia for more than 20 years."
According to Murat Dzhioev, from the upcoming round of discussions, South Ossetian side expects stable, focused work on the agreement on the non-use of force.
One of the most important issues of the forthcoming agenda the presidential envoy called the fate of the missing persons of South Ossetia.
"We also plan to consider the question on mutual release of the citizens kept in prisons of Georgia and South Ossetia, first of all, the release of the three citizens of our Republic, convicted for false life imprisonment,"- said Dzhioev.
He has stressed that South Ossetia has a clear position, aimed at constructive work in the framework of the Geneva discussions and in other international formats.
