In accordance with the NATO-Georgia military plans, on 6 May-1 June, military exercises will be held on the territory of Georgia with the participation of up to 1,300 military staff from about 20 countries. Do these military maneuvers imply any threat to the security of the Republic of South Ossetia and what sort of work should be done by RSO Defense Ministry and other structures to neutralize a possible escalation of the situation in South Ossetia throughout the period of preparation for the above exercise?
Yury Tanaev, Defense Minister of RSO:
These exercises in May-June bear no threat to South Ossetia since they spoke about 1,300 personnel, while we have 3,000 plus the Russian contingent. Potentially there is a threat, if the neighboring country carried out exercises in the vicinity to borderline area and other neighboring states or allies are involved, this speaks for their getting prepared for a war. This again underlines that Georgia did not accept the situation and that Georgia will attempt to tear away and seize our territories; their allies, that is, Western Europe and the United States are helping them in this and encourage them for a new aggression.