News

The gas supply to Leningor district of South Ossetia and potable water supply to Georgia were discussed at the meeting held in Tskhinval between Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement Boris Chochiev with the independent expert Werner Johannides, engaged in the settlement of these issues within the frames of the Geneva discussions. As Boris Chochiev reported after the meeting, the issue of illegal and inhumane actions of the Georgian side in regards to gas cut-off for the population of Leningor district of South Ossetia has been repeatedly raised at Geneva talks.

The Mission of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Tskhinval refused to facilitate the visit of the relatives of the missing South Ossetian citizens to Tbilisi”, reported the Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement Boris Chochiev.
“During the visit of Zurab Nogaideli and representatives of non-governmental organizations to South Ossetia on 19 December 2009, the relatives of the missing South Ossetian citizens requested them to facilitate the organization of meetings with human rights NGOs in Georgia, and public appeal broadcast by Georgian media. This agreement has been reached and we asked the International Committee of the Red Cross in Tskhinval to facilitate the relatives’ visit to Tbilisi and back. In response to this request, we received a refusal”, said Chochiev.

A delegation of Co-Chairs of the Geneva discussions is expected to arrive in South Ossetia on 22 January. The delegation includes the EU Envoy Pierre Morel, OSCE Ambassador Bolat Nurgaliev, UN representative Marco Biencini and other officials of these organizations. In Tskhinval, the delegation will be received by the Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement Boris Chochiev and participants to the South Ossetian delegation in Geneva Talks.

On 10 January 2010, representatives of the Border-guard Department of the RF FSB in South Ossetia found 82 mm mortar, 3 boxes of 82 mm mines and 11 RPG-7 shells one kilometer south-west of Balta village (Znaur district of South Ossetia). "While at the spot, 70 meters from the place where the mines were found, a unassembled 82 mm mortar, 11 RPG-7 shells, boxes with 25 fuses for 82 mm mortar and one RPG-7 cartridge were found", reported the press-service.
The found ammunition units were handed over to the RSO KGB Investigation Department.

The Committee for State Security (KGB) of South Ossetia is establishing the origin of the ammunition found by Russian border-guards near the village of Balta, Znaur District of South Ossetia. As reported by the KGB Press-Service, "based on the investigation findings about the origin of the ammunition, it will be decided whether it relevant to initiate a criminal case or to hand over the materials to investigative jurisdiction".

Information of the EUMM in Georgia about voluntary leaving of South Ossetian citizen Gennady Pliev for Georgia does not correspond to reality, stated the Deputy Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement Merab Chigoev. According to him, the version that Gennady Pliev had voluntarily left for Georgia was voiced by Fischer, the Chief of EUMM Staff during the spot visit in South Ossetia.

South Ossetian side will not participate in the meeting under the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism established by Geneva discussions. The meeting has been planned upon the initiative of the EUMM. As reported by the Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement Boris Chochiev. "We still know nothing about the fate of our citizens and for us this issue is vital". "South Ossetian side had repeatedly warned all the parties to the Geneva discussions that before we receive any information in relation to our missing citizens, we suspend our participation in these meetings. Our position is irrevocable", stated Chochiev.

The border-crossing at the South Ossetian state border is to be regulated by the authorities of South Ossetia – stated the Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement Boris Chochiev, commenting on the information disseminated by the Georgian side on the ban imposed on Georgian passports for crossing the stated border between South Ossetia and Georgia. "Authorities of South Ossetia did not take any decisions banning Georgian passports for crossing the border in Leningor district", said Chochiev. For Georgian authorities' and their supporters' information, in regards to stiffened border-crossing we did not impose any prohibiting measures. Whatever are the wishes of the Georgian authorities, Bakradze and other pseudo-politicians, we are creating all necessary conditions for the residents of Leningor district, which of course, is in contradiction to the plans of the Georgian authorities, who had created unbearable conditions for the residents of this district after August 2008 aggression.

EUMM observers saw the spot at the outskirts of Tskhinval, where South Ossetian citizen Gennady Pliev was abducted from. As reported by Deputy Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement Merab Chigoev, the invitation of the EUMM representatives, who are responsible for monitoring of the situation in the areas adjacent to the border of South Ossetia, was an exclusion. “The EUMM observers had the opportunity to talk to the relatives and neighbors of Gena Pliev. They have received information on the time of crime and available evidences and details”, said Chigoev.

On 4 January 2010, special services of Georgia abducted a citizen of South Ossetia Gennady Pliev from the southern outskirts of Tskhinval adjacent to the borderline with Georgia. Reportedly, he received criminal charges in Georgia and placed in a pre-trial detention facility. The authorities of South Ossetia invited the EU military monitors (EUMM) who could see on the ground that the abduction was made 400-500 meters from the state border between South Ossetia and Georgia, where evidences of fighting and blood were still visible proving a forceful seizure of Pliev. In the meantime, the explanation given by the authorities of Georgia seemed senseless. They vary from the allegations that Pliev was detained on the territory of Georgia in the village of Nikozi and that he was armed, or he voluntary crossed the border and asked for asylum, or he was claimed to be an “Ossetian terrorist”.