Archive - 2009

Within the framework of Geneva agreements on prevention and response to incidents, participants of the IRPM working groups visited the place where 16 Georgian citizens were detained 25 October by Russian border-guards in Leningor district of South Ossetia. As reported by Deputy Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement Merab Chigoev, representatives of the South Ossetia’s General Prosecurotr’s Office, Border-guard Department of the RSO KGB and RF FSB, as well as representatives of the Georgian side and the EUMM participated in this fact-finding trip.

On 28 October, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia Murat Djioev received the Head of the ICRC Office in Tskhinval, Mr. P.Reichel, and Head of Health Department V.Krebs, reports MFA Press-Service.

On 25 October at 12 a.m., the RF FSB Border Guards detained 16 Georgian citizens who had illegally crossed the state border of South Ossetia and were engaged in unauthorized wood-cutting, reported the Deputy Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement Merab Chigoev. According to him, the trespassers were arrested in the village of Salbieri, Leningor district.

The relatives of the Ossetians abducted by power structures 13 October 2008 addressed the CoE Human Rigths Commissioner Tomas Hammerberg through the Office of the Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement. As reported by the Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement Boris Chochiev, the letter reads: “Dear Mr. Hammerberg,
We, undersigned, the mothers and close relatives of the South Ossretian citizens, abducted on 13 October (ABDUCTED, not missing, as the Georgian side reports) by the Georgian power structures:
1. Alan Yurievich Khachirov, 1992, resident of Tskhinval,
2. Alan Davidovich Khugaev, 1989, resident of Tskhinval,
3. Soltan Rostikoevich Pliev, 1983, resident of Tskhinvali
By conducting illegal and inhuman policy against South Ossetian, Georgian authorities brought the situation to an open aggression against our Republic, and as a result o f this, hundreds of South Ossetians were detained in Georgia, and our sons are among those. Despite the numerous addresses to Georgian authorities, they rejected the fact of detention.

Today, 19 October, a meeting of the representatives of South Ossetian and Georgian sides took place in Ergneti (Georgia). The meeting focused on the missing South Ossetians and Georgians. As reported by Deputy Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement MerB Chigoev, the meeting was not supplementary (not initially planned) and was convened upon the proposal of the Geneva discussions Co-chairman, the OSCE CiO Special Representative Charalampos Christopoulos. According to Chigoev, the meeting's main focus was the fate of the missing South Ossetians and Georgians and the follow-up on the persons trialed by South Ossetian and Georgian courts.

The Chairman of the South Ossetian Government Vadim Brovtsev met with representatives of public organizations. Representatives of “Russian Union of Afghan Veterans” and Trade Union Council participated in the meeting. Representatives of the South Ossetian Regional Organization “Union of Afghan Veterans” discussed with Vadim Brovtsev the possible variants for cooperation. Prime Minister promised the Afghan Veteran Organizations to help in getting more social benefits.

Chairman of the RSO Government Vadim Brovtsev held an operational meeting with the heads of Znaur and Djava districts administration.

On 11 October, Chairman of the RSO Government Vadim Brovtsev visited Kvaisa, Djava district, to discuss issues related to rehabilitation. Vadim Brovtsev saw the location for construction of houses damaged in the earthquake.

A year after the Joint Peacekeeping Forces in the Zone of Georgian-Ossetian Ocnflict were dissolved and withdrawn, the Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement Boris Chochiev shared his memories with RES agency. He was previously representing the South Ossetian side to the Joint Control Commission (JCC).
“I can talk long about the role of the peacekeepers which were brought to the zone of Georgian-Ossetian conflict in accordance with the 1992 Dagomys Agreement”, said Boris Chochiev. “In its format and mandate, this was a unique mechanism comprised of representatives of the military contingents of the sides to the conflict and those of the mediator’s side. Throughout their joint activities, these trilateral peacekeeping forces with 500 personnel representing each side were gradually transformed into a unified mechanism. One can say that they were united by the same interests and one and the same goal. Checkpoints and posts were deployed on the territory of the conflict zone in the way that they had constant contacts with each other. Every morning each side’s representatives participated in a joint meeting. They also together participated in all big celebrations. Senior military representative of the Georgian battalion, deceased Panteleimon Georgadze had even participated in the meetings of the government. When we were celebrating the 5th anniversary of the JPKF, senior military representative and senior observer of the Georgian battalion were also standing at the rostrum. While celebrating the 10th anniversary, Vice-Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Vahtang Rcheulishvili, Georgian State Minister for Conflict Settlement Irakli Machavariani and other Georgian officials received awards from the South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity.

On 1 October, the President of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity and Deputy Minister for Economic Development of the RF, the Chair of the Inter-Agency Commission for Rehabilitation Projects in South Ossetia Roman Panov visited Kvaisa badly affected by an earthquake on 7-8 September. During their visit, Eduard Kokoity and Roman PAnov were accompanies by the first Deputy Prime-minister Alexander Zelig, Interior Minister Valery Valiev, Emercom Minister Anatoly Bibilov, acting Minister of Health and Social Welfare Nugzar Gabaraev, Chair of the State Committee for Implementation of Rehabilitation Projects Zurab Kabisov and Chair of the Committee for State Control and economic security Batradz Takazov.