News

The information spread by the Georgian side that during the preparatory meeting within the frames of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) in Dvani on 14 August “the Ossetian side confirmed that the fire was opened from the Ossetian side” does not correspond to reality.
“I would like to state that such misinterpretation of the counterpart’s words does not help in lifting the tensions at the borderline and casts doubts on the necessity to hold the working groups’ meetings”, stated Merab Chigoev, the Deputy Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement.

A delegation of the RF Ministry for Economic Development is visiting South Ossetia. As reported by South Ossetian Minister of Economic Development Igor Beppiev, “the two Ministries of South Ossetia and the Russian Federation signed an agreement on mutual protection of investments”. The meeting’s discussion had focused on issues related to protection of interests of the sides, which in the future would be able to conclude agreements on investments.

The RSO President Eduard Kokoity received a delegation of People’s Assembly of Dagestan headed by Aitemir Satiraev. Eduard Kokoity expressed his gratitude for support and assistance provided to South Ossetia during the tragic events of August 2008. He also expressed his satisfaction with the high standard work of constructors from Dagestan engaged in reconstruction process in South Ossetia. He stressed that all works had been done promptly.
The President expressed his appreciation of the help provided by Dagestan to the people of South Ossetia during the first days of Georgia’s aggression. “We are friendly people and should do our best to establish peace in the Caucasus. Your visit here creates solid grounds for our further relations. The leadership of South Ossetia will do everything to strengthen the relations between our people. We can see today that you are not in an easy situation but still, you are helping us”, said Eduard Kokoity.

A sitting of the RSO Parliament Presidium chaired by Stanislav Kochiev, the Speaker, took place. The sitting was opened by Stanislav Kochiev who insisted that local media is informed on a quarterly basis about the MPs’ attendance. Then, the MPs proceeded with discussing the agenda.
The first point for discussion was the Law “On ratification of the 1st additional protocol to the Treaty between South Ossetia and Transdnestria on friendship and cooperation signed in Tskhinval on 16 June 2009”. Yury Dzitsoity, the Parliament vice-Speaker spoke on the issue. He stressed that despite the fact that Transdnestria had not recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia “we will continue our cooperation, both at political and economic levels, as well as in other spheres.” It was decided to ratify the Treaty at the next session of the RSO Parliament.

There is no curfew in Sinagur area, including the village of Perevi, says the Head of Sinagur village administration Lev Gagiev, commenting on the reports of Georgian media that “curfew has been introduced in the village of Perevi, Sachkhere district”.
’’The life here is normal. The population is engaged in agriculture. No one had heard about curfew. The inhabitants can freely move. As to the border-guards, they were following their routine duties”, said Gagiev.

On 10 August, The Head of the EUMM in Georgia Hansjorg Haber gave an interview to Berliner Zietung, in which he expressed his vision on the work of the EUMM and what kind of problems it had faced. Merab Chigoev, Deputy Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement and representative to the IPRM working group, shared his opinion on whether or not EUMM official's statements were objective.
Merab Chigoev: The first impression is that there is nothing extraordinary, a routine interview of a representative of Europeans structures to one of European newspapers. There is one “but” about it. This is a misinterpretation of facts by Mr. Haber.

After a long break, a preparatory meeting of working groups within the frames of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) was held. The meeting was convened upon the initiative of the Co-Chairmen of the Geneva talks on security in the Caucasus and the EUMM in Georgia. The Deputy Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement Merab Chigoev informed the IA RES about the meeting held in Dvani (Kareli district of Georgia). “The meeting was attended by the RF delegation, EUMM, Georgian and Ossetian sides.”

A session of the Government Commission on Delimitation and Demarcation of the State Border with Georgia was held in Tskhinval. The session was presided by the Commission Chairman Boris Chochiev. “We have addressed a note to the RF Foreign Ministry requesting facilitation in preparation on relevant maps. The work is being carried out in the RF agencies and structures with an active inter-agency coordination. They will soon establish a Delegation for delimitation and demarcation of the border with South Ossetia and then we will start our joint activities based on a bilateral agreement. At this stage, we have to identify our borders, both on maps and on the ground”, said Boris Chochiev in his introductory speech.

On 11 August, upon the personal request from the Special Representative of the OSCE Greek Chairmanship Ambassador Charalampost Christopoulos, he was expected to visit South Ossetia to discuss the proposals on OSCE presence in the Republic of South Ossetia. As reported by Boris Chochiev, the Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement, an agreement has been reached that Ambassador Christopoulos would arrive at the border with South Ossetia by a vehicle provided by the Greek Embassy in Georgia, and “on our territory, the transportation will be supported by UNHCR Mission in the RF.”
“Yesterday, we learnt that the UNHCR vehicles cannot arrive from Russia. Ambassador Christopoulos suggested arriving by the vehicles of the Greek Embassy in Georgia. Our response was that we could not agree since South Ossetia is a sovereign independent state and visitors cannot move on our territory by vehicles of embassies represented in other states. We offered him with our transportation. In response he refused due to unclear reasons. Therefore, the visit was cancelled”, said Chochiev.

The criminal actions of Georgia against Ossetian people had not been yet condemned”, stated the RSO President Eduard Kokoity in Tskhinval during the space bridge Tskhinval-Vladikavkaz-Mscow-Brussels. “Today is a day of mourning for our people.
It is the day when Georgian aggression against South Ossetia began. I would like to express the words of gratitude to Russia and Russian people for support to the brave decisions taken by the Government. This was extermination of small Ossetia people. Nobody had condemned these actions yet. To prevent any similar events in the world, the United States and Europe should condemn those who had been militarizing Georgia and those who committed this aggression. Impunity give rise to new crimes”, said Eduard Kokoity.