Archive - 10/2010

The Geneva Discussions on Security in the Caucasus are an important component of the settlement of security and humanitarian problems in the South Caucasus. This was stated by the Co-Chairs of the Geneva discussions, the EU, UN and OSCE envoys, after a meeting held 1 October evening in Tskhinval with South Ossetian authorities.
"We have carefully reviewed the issues to be discussed at the next round of discussions on October 14th. First issue relates to security, the second covers humanitarian problems", said the EU Envoy Pierre Morel.
According to him, the work on these issues continues outside the Geneva Discussions. Morel pointed to Report of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg on the results of the investigation of cases of persons missing during and after the hostilities in August 2008.

On October 4, 2010, around 7:30 AM a detachment of the RF FSB Border Guard Department in South Ossetia detained a man with no identity documents near the village of Artsev, Tskhinval district of South Ossetia, at a distance of 350 meters from the border between South Ossetia and Georgia, reported the Press Service of the Border Guard Department.
It was noted that according to the detainee, he was a citizen of Georgia.

On 4 October, a meeting of the Review Conference of the OSCE in Warsaw took place. Second edition of the Venice Commission guiding principles for the OSCE was presented here.
Issues related to the implementation of the right to peaceful assembly, freedom of expression and freedom of associations forming the fundamentals of any democratic system were discussed.
Venice Commission provides legislative support to the OSCE participating States to assist them in ensuring the compliance of their legislation in matters relating to freedom of peaceful assembly to OSCE commitments and international standards.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree on agreements providing for cooperation and mutual assistance in customs affairs with South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The Russian President also authorized the Federal Customs Service of Russia to make necessary amendments in the course of negotiations to the draft agreements presented to the Government of the RF, if these amendments are not of a principal importance.
The South Ossetian side had been actively working on the draft Agreement on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters between Russia and South Ossetia.

Report of the Council of Europe (CoE) Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg based on the findings of two independent experts who were assigned to monitor the investigation of the cases of people missing during and after the hostilities in South Ossetia in August 2008, reflects the inaction of the Georgian law enforcement bodies and speaks for their participation in the abduction of three young citizens of South Ossetia, stated South Ossetian President's Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement Boris Chochiev. "First, I want to say that the report is very interesting. These international experts were invited upon the request of Mr. Hammarberg. We had agreed with Hammarberg that the output of the work on the missing would be discussed within the framework of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) established by the Geneva Discussions. The report of Mr. Hammarberg should have been presented there. Somehow, we got the report without having discussed it within the IPRM", said Chochiev.

The Co-Chairmen of the Geneva Discussions on Secuirty in the Caucasus are paying a working visit to South Ossetia today. The Co-chairs of the OSCE Nurgaliyev and the UN Antti Turunen, as well as EU Envoy Pierre Morel are going to see rehabilitation of sites destroyed in August 2008 and meet with the Representative of the President of South Ossetia for Post-Conflict Settlement Boris Chochiyev and his deputy, Merab Chigoev.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs of South Ossetia Murat Dzhioev and Advisor to the President Konstantin Kochiev are also participating in the meeting.

On September 30, the President of the Republic of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity signed a decree on dismissal of Robert Petrovich Kulumbegov from the post of the Director of Sate Broadcasting company "IR" of South Ossetia.
On the same day, the President of the Republic of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity signed a decree on appointment of Dmitry Viktorovich Biragov, as the Company Director.

The President of the Republic of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity signed a decree on the formation of the Press Service of the President and Government of the Republic of South Ossetia.
As the Presidential Administration told IA "Res", the decree was signed in order to ensure a unified information policy of the authorities and creation of a unified information structure.
"According to the Decree, Vyacheslav Sedov was appointed as the Head of the Press Service of the President and the Governement of South Ossetia", reads the report.

In order to continue discussing issues related to implementation of EC projects on the territory of the Republic of South Ossetia, the European Commission independent expert Mr. Werner Johannides and Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office of Kazakhstan Mr. Emmanuel Anquetil will pay a working visit to South Ossetia. This was reported by the Deputy Plenipotentiary of the President of South Ossetia for Post-conflict Settlement Merab Chigoev.
"The discussion will in particular focus on the partial rehabilitation of the Zonakar dam and the allocation of the necessary equipment for the rehabilitation and repair of main structures and pipe of Buhaur - Znaur", said Merab Chigoev.
It is worth noting that the experts have already met the Deputy Prime Minister of South Ossetia Domenti Kulumbegov in September.