The RF government approved the draft Agreement with South Ossetia on Joint Military Base on the territory of South Ossetia. The Government decided to propose the RF President the Agreement for signing. The Agreement is concluded for 49 years with providing for its default prolongation for another 15 years.
The situation at the boundary line of South Ossetia is stable, reported the press-service of the RF FSB Border-guard Department in South Ossetia. Meanwhile, the Georgian TV channel IMEDI showed a false “a report on the possible development of the situation in Georgia in case of Russian intervention”. The residents of South Ossetia who saw the report, did not immediately understand what was happening, and it caused certain perplexity among those who saw the report. People started to call each other.
The RES Agency addressed the Command of the Russian military contingent deployed in South Ossetia to comment on the information disseminated by Georgian TV channel IMEDI about supposed Russia’s attack against Georgia. According to official source of the 4th Military Base in South Ossetia, the personnel followed routine activities.
The US. Embassy in Russia did not timely issue visas to representatives of the Republic of South Ossetia. As one of the members of the South Ossetian delegation David Sanakoev reported to RES Agency, representatives of South Ossetia should participate in the Georgian-Ossetian dialogue hosted by George Mason University. "The South Ossetian delegation of four members should participate in the dialogue, but unfortunately, two persons did not timely receive visas.
South Ossetia considers the report of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General Walter Kaelin as another product of double standards policy, stated the Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement Boris Chochiev. Commenting on the Report voiced by Kaelin at the 13th UN session on human rights, Chochiev noted that the report created an impressions that "Kaelin, who visited South Ossetia in November 2009, spoke with indignation about Georgia authorities when he saw ruined houses and schools, and Kaelin, who voiced his report in Switzerland, are different people" "We fully understand that no one will allow anyone to tell the whole truth about things seen in South Ossetia. But I did not think that he would not dare telling at the session things that he described in his report after his visit here in November 2009", said the Special Representative.
On 9 March 2010, a working session on preparation of an agreement between the Defense Ministries of South Ossetia and the Russian Federation on the status of deployed military bases in South Ossetia was held at the Embassy of South Ossetia in the RF. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of South Ossetia in the Russian Federation Dmitry Medoev, Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Yury Tanaev, First Deputy Defense Minister Maj.Gen. Ibragim Gassiev, Defense Ministry Chief of Staff Col.
Council of Europe independent experts Bruce Pegg and Nicolas Sebire arrived in South Ossetia with a two-day visit. In Tskhinval, the experts are meeting representatives of law enforcement bodies of South Ossetia, South Ossetian citizens lately released from Georgian prisons – Lev Tekhov, Pavel Tekhov and Ahmed Kaziev. The experts are also meeting relatives of the abducted and missing citizens of South Ossetia.
Heavy snowfalls might lead to limitations or even blockage of the TRANSKAM road connecting South Ossetia and Russia, reported the duty service of the South Ossetian government. "So far, the road has been functioning normally, but heavy snowfalls continued and it might lead to limited or blocked movement", reported the service.
The Georgian citizens detained on 2 March 2010 in the village of Kalet, Znaur district, were expelled from South Ossetia, reported the Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement Boris Chochiev. According to him, "Ivan Muladze, 1985, and Nino Altsnauri, 1980, after necessary proceedings followed locally, were returned to the territory of Georgia the same day. Before that, they were allowed to meet their relatives in Znaur district of South Ossetia". "Despite the fact that under similar conditions, the authorities of Georgia immediately put people in jail, the issue of their release becomes a matter of cynical and disgusting bargaining, the South Ossetian side has again demonstrated its humane and just attitude", said the Special Representative.
On 3 March 2010, the "Agreement between the Governments of the Russian Federation and South Ossetia on visa free travel for citizens of the RF and SO" entered into force. In accordance with this Agreement, citizens of the Republic of South Ossetia may enter, depart from and stay in the Russian Federation without visa required for a period of 90 days.
