On 2 December 2008, a meeting between the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the RF Army Land Forces Lt.-General V. Yevnevich and the Head of the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) H. Haber was held at the village of Ergneti.
The meeting aimed at establishing interaction between the RF military contingent and the EU military monitors.
The EUMM representatives were provided with a draft document prepared by the Russian side on the main components of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The issue of possible recognition of the Republic of South Ossetia by other states was discussed.
The sides also discussed the perspectives for contact between the South Ossetian and Georgian authorities to be facilitated by the Russian military contingent representatives and EU observers accredited in Georgia to address problematic issues like those related to observance of rights of ethnic Ossetians residing in Georgia and correspondingly, those of Georgians residing in the Republic of South Ossetia.
The EUMM officials presented to the Russian side their reference paper containing approaches to improve the work with the Russian military contingent. The Mission representatives requested to provide them with contact information of the Russian military contingent"s focal point to ensure constant interaction and exchange of information.
H.Haber requested the Russian side to facilitate the EUMM"s monitoring in South Ossetia"s districts, in the first place, in Leningori district.
The discussion also focused on the deployment of the Russian check-point in the village of Perevi. As stated by the EUMM, all available cartographic materials pointed to the fact that the observation post in Perevi was located on the territory of Georgia. In this respect, the post should be relocated to the South Ossetian part of the border.
The EUMM" reference paper states that the EU does not recognize the independence of South Ossetia, as well as the agreement to stipulate deployment of Russian regular troops on the republic"s territory. In view of this, the EUMM insists on implementation of the fifth point of the Medvedev-Sarkozy plan, which envisages return of the RF troops to their location prior to the hostilities in August 2008.
