The OSCE Delegation headed by Special Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office Christopulos arrived in South Ossetia. The Delegation included Representative of 2010 OSCE Kazakh Chairmanship Bolat Nurgaliev and his advisor Serik Zhumabaev. In Tskhinval, the Delegation met with the Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement Boris Chochiev, Foreign Minister Murat Djioev, Deputy Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement Merab Chigoev.
As Boris Chochiev noted in the beginning of the meeting, "Greece had tough times of its Chairmanship after August 2008, when the OSCE concealed from the international community the true information about the Georgian aggression. At that time, the OSCE leadership neither condemned the actions of the aggressor, nor expressed its objective position. After this, it was extremely hard for the Grekk Chairmanship to work", noted Chochiev. The meeting continued behind closed door. As explained by Boris Chochiev after the meeting, the OSCE Delegation's visit was an introductory trip. "We briefed Mr. Nurgaliev (Representative of Kazakh Chair in 2010) on the situation, on the consequences of the Georgian aggression. A number of remarks were made on the results of the Greek Chairmanship, and thanked Ambassador Christopoulos for his work. They did their best to help with settlement of several questions, such as gas supply from Georgia. They also took efforts to search for missing South Ossetian citizens, but they did not find any support of the Georgian side", said Chochiev. "Today we are ready to address any international organization in any country, if only they could help us to establish the whereabouts of our missing people and facilitate the release of our citizens detained in Georgian prisons only because they are Ossetians". The Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement noted that its was decided to hold a meeting with the Georgian side on the missing file on 17 December. "The meeting will be held at the borderline between South Ossetia and Georgia in the village of Ergneti. It will take place not in the frames of the mechanism, but within the frames of the working group which will be established in Geneva with the participation of OSCE representative for missing file. We already expect that the Georgian side will not attend this meeting; we agreed not to be blamed for unconstructive approach," he noted.
As to the return of the OSCE to South Ossetia, Chochiev said that the sides have different vision on this issue. "South Ossetia is a sovereign independent state. The OSCE is not willing to consider this aspect. But I am sure, they will come to this understanding sooner or later. We are ready for cooperation with any international agency, but without any concessions of our interests", he stated. According to Bolat Nurgaliev, the aim of today's visit was to "see the situation on the ground together with Ambassador Christopoulos, and hold negotiations with the leaderships of the sides to identify to what extent and in which fields we could cooperate to settle common problems, to prevent similar problems in the future and to get prepared for the time when we overtake the OSCE Chairmanship". "I very much appreciate the possibility to visit Tskhinval and things that I heard today incite for an serious and dynamic work. I will try to come here as often as it would be necessary, jointly with my colleagues", said Nurgaliev.
