Archive - 11/2013

In Tskhinval has been completed the ninth session of the Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) on socio-economic cooperation between the Republic of South Ossetia and the Russian Federation. As noted at the beginning of the meeting President of the RSO Leonid Tibilov now it`s time to sum up the results of 2013 and outline a number of areas that need to be implemented in 2014.
"I think that in 2014 we can say with confidence that we did more than in the previous two years. This year we also were not sitting by idly, having achieved certain results, "- said the head of state.

Today has taken place the meeting of the President of South Ossetia Leonid Tibilov with Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation - the Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy of the Russian Federation to the North Caucasus Federal District Alexander Khloponin, who arrived in the Republic on a working visit to attend the 9th meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for Socio- Economic Cooperation between the Republic of South Ossetia and the Russian Federation.

Co-chairmen of the Geneva discussions on security in Transcaucasia, arrived today in the Republic on a working visit, went to the border villages of Mugut and Avnevi in Znaur district of South Ossetia, where they visited a Christian church of the 19th century. In the village of Mugut the co-chairs saw the barriers established along the border of South Ossetia, and witnessed the cross, erected by Georgians in South Ossetia, 50 meters away from the state border.

The ninth session of the Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) on socio- economic cooperation between the Republic of South Ossetia and the Russian Federation is under way n Tskhinval.

The Commission of the Government on legislative activities approved the draft law «On ratification of the Agreement on trade regime for goods between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of South Ossetia», submitted by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
According to the official website of the Government of the Russian Federation, the agreement was signed in Moscow on March 2, 2012. The document provides for the duty-free importation of goods, while preserving to be seized for a number of commodity items.
The Agreement also provides for the collection of export duties on a number of products in the cases stipulated by Russian legislation. At the same time, the export customs duties are not applied to gasoline and diesel fuel intended for consumption in the territory of the Republic of South Ossetia in a limited volume.
The agreement contains rules other than those provided for by the legislation of the Russian Federation, and is subject to ratification in accordance with subparagraph "a" of paragraph 1 of Article 15 of the Federal Law of July 15, 1995 № 101 of the FL "On International Treaties of the Russian Federation."
The agreement is aimed at resolving the situation with the application of tariff regulation measures in respect of goods produced in the Republic of South Ossetia after Russia`s recognition of the independence of South Ossetia.
The bill will be considered at a meeting of the Government.

Co-chairs of the Geneva discussions on security in Transcaucasia have arrived in the South Ossetian capital. The delegation consists of the European Union co-chairman Philippe Lefort, the UN - Antti Turunen, representatives of the OSCE, as well as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
In addition, for the first time the delegation includes the newly appointed representative of the of the OSCE Swiss mission Angelo Gnaedinger.
In Tskhinval the Co-Chairs met with the delegation of South Ossetia at the Geneva discussions. The head of the delegation, the Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy of the RSO for post-conflict settlement Murat Dzhioev welcomed the guests in South Ossetia.
"I would like to thank Angelo Gnaedinger that his country has been making a major contribution to peace and security in the region. In 2008, when the situation in South Ossetia was tense down to the limit, we turned to the ambassadors accredited in Georgia with a proposal to come and assist in lifting tension; the ambassador of Switzerland was always attentive to our appeals. He came and expressed willingness to assist in reducing tension,"- said Dzhioev.
He has also noted that the meeting is taking place at a significant time for South Ossetia - November 23 is marked in the Republic as the Day of Courage and National Unity.
"November 23, 1989 Georgian armed groups for the first time attempted to burst into Tskhinval. But thanks to the courage, firmness and unity of our people the situation was defused," - said the envoy.
He has also reminded that Georgia on November 23 was also marking the anniversary of the "Rose Revolution ", when 10 years ago to power in the country came Mikhail Saakashvili.
"Now there is a new government in Georgia, but what has done for his country Saakashvili, I believe, the future generations will have to assess. He managed to inflict immense harm to peace and security in the region, the Georgian- Ossetian relations. But, I think he will be brought to punishment for all his evil deeds, "- said Dzhioev.
He has expressed hope that the new government of Georgia will draw conclusions from what happened and do their utmost for the progress in the Georgian- Ossetian and Georgian- Abkhazian relations.
"We all live in the Caucasus; no one here is going to leave. And the sooner we find the opportunity for good-neighborly relations, the better "- said Dzhioev.
He has added that the participants of the meeting will have to work fruitfully in preparation for the 26 round of the discussions, stressing that their main purpose is still to sign an agreement on the non-use of force.
Then the meeting continued without the participation of the media.
Today the Co-Chairs plan to visit the border village of Mugut in Znaur district of South Ossetia.

South Ossetian folk dance group "Amond " under the Department of Culture of the Administration of Tskhinval District of South Ossetia became the winner of the XI festival-contest "Russian Terpsichore" (held November 21 - 23 in Essentuki ) in the nomination "Folk Dance," said the news agency " Res" the art director of the group Radion Kozaev.
According to him, "Amond" was awarded the first degree diploma in the nomination "Folk Dance", which was attended by the 11 older age groups from various regions of the Russian Federation.
"Our competitors were well prepared, but the jury awarded the victory to our team, brilliantly performed the Ossetian folk dance "Simd." In addition, our dancers Alexander Abaev, Hamlet Kokoev and Alan Alborov were recognized as the best dancers of the festival and awarded special prizes, "- said Kozaev.
The jury included the well-known cultural figures - artists, choreographers from Russia and other countries. Kozaev has also noted the high organizational level of the festival.
"We were welcomed very cordially. I want to thank the organizers of the competition - the event has become a platform where young artists from different regions of Russia had the opportunity to display their talent, "- said Radion Kozaev.
Assistance in the organization of the trip was rendered by the Ministry of Culture of South Ossetia.
" I want to express my gratitude to the Minister of Culture of the Republic Makharbeg Kokoev for his assistance in organizing the trip," – underlined Kozaev.
The art director of the folk dance group "Amond" Rodion Kozaev was declared the winner in the nomination "The best choreographer" and awarded a special prize.
The festival-competition "Russian Terpsichore" is conducted to reveal and support the talented choreographers and performers, develop and popularize choreographic art, strengthen cultural ties and exchange experience between choreographic collectives of the cities and regions of the Russian Federation, increasing the level of mastery of the participants.
The festival is organized by the City Hall of Essentuki, the municipal cultural institution "Palace of Culture" and the Moscow independent creative organization "The Calling."

Fund for support of the wounded who became disabled during the fighting in South Ossetia in 1989-2008 has organized for the defenders of South Ossetia a cultural study tour of historical sites in North Ossetia.

South Ossetian representatives are taking part in the Regional School for Young Journalists held in Sochi (Russia) November 21 - 25. South Ossetia is represented by journalists of the Information Agency "Res," newspaper "South Ossetia" and representatives of the press service of the Administration of the President of South Ossetia. The organizer of the school is the Political Science Center "North-South."
Executive Director of the Political Science Center "North-South" Alexei Vlasov has noted that the participants of the schools, earlier conducted in the South Caucasus states, demonstrated a professional approach in the coverage of processes related to the Russian Federation.
"Interaction of journalists from Russia and the Caucasus promotes cooperation and maintenance of the common humanitarian and information space," - he said.
The school, organized by the Russian Political Science Center "North-South" is also attended by representatives of Abkhazia, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The School participants have attended the lectures of the Deputy Chief Editor of the Edition of the CIS, Baltic States on the subject «The Modern media: risks and challenges» and the leading columnist of the magazine «Itogi» Kirill Privalov. They visited the Olympic facilities, including the Imereti lowland, the ice arenas, sports facilities.
The Vice- President of the Federation of Sports Journalists of Russia Lev Rossoshik, editor of the science magazine "Russian Reporter" Gregory Tarasevich also held workshops for the School participants.

Recently a new government led by Irakli Garibashvili came to power in Georgia. In his keynote speech to the parliamentarians Garibashvili also spoke on the issue of further participation of Georgia in the Geneva discussions. IA "Res" applied for comments on this matter to Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy of South Ossetia for post-conflict settlement, the head of the South Ossetian delegation at the Geneva discussions on security in Transcaucasia Murat Dzhioev.

- The political forces that won the presidential elections in Georgia at the end of October 2013 actually had come to power a year ago, when the bloc "Georgian Dream" won a victory over supporters of Saakashvili at the parliamentary elections. The leader of this bloc Ivanishvili has repeatedly publicly stated the responsibility of Georgia and Saakashvili personally, for the war against the people of South Ossetia in August 2008. It was expected that the supporters of Ivanishvili not personally responsible for the atrocities of the regime of Saakashvili, would take real steps to normalize relations with South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
However, the statements made by some leaders of the Georgian government and non-constructive position of the Georgian delegation at the Geneva talks do not give rise to any euphoria.
Mr. Garibashvili told the parliamentarians that his government would "continue to participate in the Geneva talks to resolve the Russian-Georgian conflict and is not going to yield to Russia in the issue of the status of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region."
It follows that the Georgian authorities are stubbornly trying to move away from the main goal of the Geneva discussions and steer the conversation into the direction of the Russian-Georgian relations. In fact, the Geneva discussions are conducted in accordance with the Medvedev and Nicolas Sarkozy agreements after the Georgian attack on South Ossetia and their main goal is to ensure lasting security of South Ossetia and Abkhazia by Georgia that is possible by the signing of legally binding bilateral agreements with solid international guarantees.
I`d like the new government of Georgia to assess and recognize the existing political realities, making steps to ensure real security in the region and to stop misleading the international community, trying to use it against the people of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
And more importantly - the status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia is not negotiable either in Geneva or anywhere else. It is determined by the peoples of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and recognized by many countries.

Some Georgian NGOs call on their government to dismantle the border signs on the border between South Ossetia and Georgia. How would you comment on the situation on the state border?

- All the demarcation works at the state border between the Republic of South Ossetia and Georgia, are carried out by the relevant services of South Ossetia in full accordance with the legislation and the sovereign right of the Republic of South Ossetia solely in the territory of South Ossetia at some distance from the border line. Neither the sovereignty, nor the territory of Georgia has been violated. If there are any attempts to dismantle the barrier or other structures, it will be considered a violation of our border and our frontier service will take all legal measures against the violators.