Today OSCE Mission delegation visited the Republic of South Ossetia. Among the guests Director of OSCE secretariat conflict prevention centre Mr. Herbert Zalber, Head of OSCE Mission to Georgia Mrs. Terhi Hakala, Executive Adviser of the Head of Mission Mr. Mathew Goodstein, Senior military representative of OSCE Mission to Georgia Mr. Steven Yang and acting Head of Tskhinval OSCE Mission Hekki Lekhtonen.
The OSCE Mission representatives were received by the acting Prime Minister of RSO Boris Chochiev, who is also the Minister for special cases and JCC South Ossetian part co-chairman. The meeting was attended by the JCC South Ossetian part secretary Leonid Tibilov. At the meeting Herbert Zalber, who first time visited South Ossetia, was acquainted with the present situation in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone and the stand of South-Ossetian side for finding ways out from the created logjam. The Head of delegation also was familiarized with the realization of economic rehabilitation of conflict zone.
«The thing is that I would like to size up the situation on the spot. In Viena we have to prepare decision pertaining to Mission activities and this can be done only if we have at least minimal understanding of ongoing here events»-said Herbert Zalber.
In its turn Boris Chochiev underlined that the meeting was very comprehensive. «Our purpose was to inform Mr. Zalber of the situation in the conflict zone and our peaceful initiatives. He said the meeting was of interest to him and at the following meeting with the Georgian side he will ask them to explain their vision of situation»-said Boris Chochiev.
OSCE Mission is planning also to meet with the JPKF commander major-general Marat Kulakhmetov.
The visit program also envisages a birthing in Tskhinval OSCE office on the rehabilitation program and economic development of the Georgian-Osetian conflict zone and visiting of rehabilitating by the Program objects (project Avnev-Nul-Chimas, potable water reservoirs in Tskhinval, and schools in Zat and Sver villages).
