South Ossetia has already taken counter steps in relation to Georgia, now it’s its turn, said President of the Republic Anatoly Bibilov.
Earlier, he has voiced the conditions for peaceful coexistence with Georgia - a recognition of the 1920 genocide, the signing of a memorandum on the non-use of force and recognition of the independence of South Ossetia.
"And what we can say about the steps to be taken, even a simple memorandum on the non-use of force has not yet been signed? We are taking counter steps for those ethnic Georgians who live in the Leningor District (South Ossetia). They travel freely to Georgia and are visited by their relatives. We are opened, so that they don’t lose their ties with the relatives. We took this step towards them. And then, I think, the steps that are necessary should be made by the Georgian leadership, "Anatoly Bibilov told RIA Novosti.
As for the return of the Georgian refugees to South Ossetia, according to the head of state, it is as possible as the return of Ossetian refugees to Georgia.
"This is as possible as the return (to Georgia) of those Ossetians whom they expelled from Georgia," Bibilov said.
He has also noted that in South Ossetia "ethnic Georgians live well, who consider themselves to be an integral part of South Ossetia."
"South Ossetia is not a mono-state. People of many nationalities live here. Georgians just occupy the second place in terms of population. And they do not feel infringed themselves because they are Georgians. They do not feel themselves second-class people, as it was presented in Georgia "- assured Bibilov.
