Representatives of South Ossetia voiced their disapproval in Geneva over the withdrawal of Russian border troops from Perevi, while other Co-chairs of the Geneva discussions welcomed the move, Boris Chochiev, the South Ossetian President's Plenipotentiary for Post-Conflict Settlement reported.
As Chochiev noted "the relocation of the checkpoint was premature, although the territory of Perevi does not fall under the boundaries of the former South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast."
As a result of the withdrawal of Russian troops from Perevi, in the absence of roads the South Ossetian village of Kardzman appeared to be cut off from South Ossetia.
"We do not need any inch of the Georgian territory, but in the end, the South Ossetian village of Small and Large Kardzman resulting from the relocation of the Russian checkpoint remained in the den of the Georgian authorities", said Chochiev.
The Statement by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Grigory Karasin on the withdrawal of Russian troops from Perevi was not a surprise to the co-chairs from South Ossetia. "We knew that the statement on the withdrawal of Russian troops will be made in Geneva, but tried to somehow influence that this step was taken after the bypass road for the residents and Kardzman and Sinagur is constructed. However, a day prior to my departure to Geneva, my representatives have been there and reported that the road had not yet been constructed. As a result, residents of Kardzman until March will be cut off from us, and will have to travel to Tbilisi for the essentials not to starve to death ", said Chochiev.
Chochiyev added that those who did not complete the road should be blamed.
"The bypass road from South Ossetian village of Sinagur to Kardzman should have been since 2008. We were assured that the road would be built, and that the citizens of South Ossetia, the villagers of Kardzman would be under the control of the authorities of South Ossetia, but now the road is not built. I was totally against this move. It is the fault of the structures that were making the road. They have misinformed both Moscow and us ", he said.
