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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”.

The South Ossetian side has invited monitors of the EU have a spot visit to the place where Gennady Pliev, a citizen of South Ossetia was abducted from yesterday morning”. “Today, at 13:00 monitors of the EU are arriving in South Ossetia”, reported the Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement Boris Chochiev. “We are going to take them to the spot, where the signs of fighting and blood are still visible”. Gennady Pliev, South Ossetian citizen was abducted at around 7:00 a.m. on 4 January 2010 in the Shanghai district of Tskhinval, adjacent to the border with Georgia. According to witnesses, the abduction was made by a group of five persons.

The Transkam road connecting South Ossetia with Russia is still closed for movement, reported the Minister for Emergency Situation of South Ossetia Anatoly Bibilov. “At the South Ossetian section of the Transkam necessary road cleaning works were completed. Presently, the snowfall has stopped, the road to Roksky tunnel has been cleaned, reported Anatoly Bibilov. The road on the North Ossetian part is still closed due to bad weather conditions.

As reported by independent informational agency “ARV: of South Ossetia, on 4 January, Georgian special services organized another provocation with abduction of South Ossetian citizen Gennady Gavrilovich Pliev. “South Ossetian citizen Gennady Pliev was abducted at approximately 7 a.m. from the borderline area of South Ossetia – Shanghai. Gennady Pliev was exercising when he was attacked. The attack was made by a group of 5 persons”, reported Info-Agency “ARV”.

The President of the Republic of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity signed the decree on pardoning three Georgian citizens: Levan Khmiadashvili, Victor Buchukuri and Georgy Archvadze detained in summer 2009. As reported by RES Agency correspondent, Levan Khmiadashvili, Victor Buchukuri and Girgy Archvadze were handed over to the relatives. Representatives of South Ossetian, Russian and Georgian sides were present at the hand-over.

President of the Republic of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity received Zurab Nogaideli, the leader of the Georgian political party "Just Georgia". The meeting focused on the release of South Ossetians detained in Georgia and vise versa. As noted by Eduard Kokoity, "in accordance with the agreements reached with the CoE Human Rights Commissioner Tomas Hammarberg, the South Ossetian side is ready to release one more Georgian citizens as a sign of good will."

President of the Republic of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity received Zurab Nogaideli, the leader of the Georgian political party "Just Georgia". The meeting focused on the release of South Ossetians detained in Georgia and vise versa. As noted by Eduard Kokoity, "in accordance with the agreements reached with the CoE Human Rights Commissioner Tomas Hammarberg, the South Ossetian side is ready to release one more Georgian citizens as a sign of good will."

The authorities of the Republic of South Ossetia provided the representatives of human rights organizations of Georgia with the possibility to visit the Georgian citizens detained in South Ossieta. Three human rights activists Paata Zakareishvili, Manana Mebuke and Vakhtang Komakhidze, representing different organizations, visited Levan Khmiadashvili (1992) and Victor Buchukuri (1993), who had been detained together with two other teenagers (Georgy Romelashvili, 1995, and Aleko Tsabadze, 1996) on 4 November 2009 on the territory of South Ossetia.