Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy of South Ossetia for post-conflict settlement Murat Dzhioev called the action held by Georgian journalists on September 28, near the village of Dvani at the South Ossetian-Georgian border, the show aimed at emotions.
The President of South Ossetia arrived in Abkhazia on an official visit. The Head of State and members of the South Ossetian delegation were received in Sukhum by the President of Abkhazia Alexander Ankvab.
During the meeting, the Presidents exchanged greetings.
Issues of bilateral cooperation between South Ossetia and Transnistria were discussed by presidents Leonid Tibilov and Yevgeny Shevchuk during a meeting at the South Ossetian embassy in Abkhazia. The South-Ossetian delegation arrived in Sukhum to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the victory of the Abkhazian people in the Patriotic War of 1992-1993. According to the press secretary of the head of state Ghana Yanovskaya, Leonid Tibilov and Yevgeny Shevchuk discussed further strengthening of bilateral relations, the development of political, economic and cultural cooperation.
The will for victory, dedication and belief in the rightness of their cause have allowed the Abkhaz people to protect their homeland, preserve the honor and dignity of the nation, said the President of South Ossetia Leonid Tibilov speaking at a ceremony in Sukhum on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the victory of Abkhazia in the Patriotic War 1992-1993.
Residents of the Georgian villages bordering on South Ossetia, have expressed their dissatisfaction with the engineering constructive works at the state border of the Republic. In turn, the South Ossetian authorities say they are ready to discuss with the representatives of Tbilisi the delimitation issues, as this is the subject of a bilateral agreement.
September 25 residents of the Georgian village of Dvani expressed their discontent with the delimitation works at the state border of South Ossetia.
Today at the border of South Ossetia the Georgian authorities have organized a protest action against the delimitation works. This time Georgian journalists have decided to protest against the legitimate and logical actions of South Ossetian authorities.
The day before, according to the Georgian media, it was stated that at the state border near the village of Mugut (Znaur district, RSO) would gather 200 journalists. The South Ossetian authorities, concerned about the possible escalation of the situation have made the statements that the action scheduled for Saturday, as well as several previous ones, threaten the stability in the entire region.
In addition, the relevant letters were sent to the co-chairs of the Geneva discussions on security in Transcaucasia and to the leadership of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia. All responsibility for possible escalation of tension the South Ossetian authorities impose on Tbilisi, as the organizer of mass hysteria around the delimitation works at the state border of South Ossetia.
The action, not so wide, but was held. About 50 people gathered three kilometers to the east of the village of Mugut. They unfurled a Georgian flag, the banner with the inscriptions "Russian occupants" and a few small posters with the similar content.
Between the boundary line and the protesters the Georgian police put up a cordon, blocking about 200-meter section of the demarcation strip. There were also observers of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia. From the South Ossetian side the situation was being observed by several journalists and two unarmed representative of the KGB. The protesters were rather reserved and did not try to get closer to the state border line.
The head of the press service of the KGB of South Ossetia Alexander Smirnov described the situation at the border as the next planned provocation
"It is the impromptu rally that supposedly symbolizes the attitude of the Georgian public to the delimitation works of South Ossetia at the state border. As always in such cases, the Georgian side has exaggerated the scale and significance of such actions – there were no more than 50 people, "- he told reporters.
At the same time, the situation is calm and under control of the South Ossetian authorities.
"The same functions are performed by the Georgian police, who ensure the people not to cross the border line," - said Smirnov.
Having stood on that section of the border about an hour, Georgian journalists went to the other – dividing the Ossetian village Mugut and the Georgian village Dhwani. The reason for the meeting was the situation here with a few houses burnt during combat operations in August 2008. These houses are not restored -the bare walls without roofs and signs of life. They are located in the 50-meter zone between the temporary demarcation structures erected in 2008, and the border line which complies with the boundary of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the Soviet Union and defined by GPS-devices. The homeowners claim that they have no alternative accommodation. They were proposed to disassemble the walls and move them into the Georgian territory, or by restoring their houses to stay and live in the territory of South Ossetia, becoming the citizens of the Republic of South Ossetia, observing the laws of South Ossetia. The residents preferred to "move."
Today the action was held without any excesses. Maybe, the journalists realized the consequences and were not involved into a reckless adventure. What will happen next time?
Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy of South Ossetia for post-conflict settlement Murat Dzhioev sent a letter to the co-chairs of the Geneva discussions, urging them to "take appropriate efforts for the scheduled September 28 action of Georgian journalists not to throw back the efforts of the Geneva discussions on maintaining and strengthening security and stability in the region.
Earlier, it was reported on the "protest action" to be held by the Georgian journalists on September 28 in the village of Dhwani in connection with delimitation works at the South Ossetian-Georgian state border.
South Ossetian President Leonid Tibilov took part in the plenary session, held within the framework of the XII International Investment Forum "Sochi-2013". As reported to IA "Res" by the press secretary of the President Ghana Yanovskaya, " at the plenary session were analyzed challenges to prevent sustained economic development of the regions," - said Yanovskaya.
Leonid Tibilov has noted that they discussed the mechanisms to stimulate the activity of both domestic and foreign investors.
The delegation of South Ossetia participated in the XII International Investment Forum "Sochi-2013", which is being held in the Black Sea resort. As the press-secretary of the President of South Ossetia Ghana Yanovskaya said IA "Res", the forum had been attended by Leonid Tibilov.
The President visited the South Ossetian pavilion.
Leonid Tibilov met with Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Medvedev.
"During the meeting with the Russian Prime Minister were discussed the implementation of the investment program to promote socio-economic development of South Ossetia. Leonid Tibilov has stressed that in the Republic started active work in this direction," - said Yanovskaya.
In turn, Dmitry Medvedev assured Leonid Tibilov of the support of the Russian Federation.
Leonid Tibilov also met with the heads of Dagestan, Ingushetia, North Ossetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, as well as with members of other regions of Russia, presented at the forum.
Within the framework of the forum is also being held a plenary session with the participation of Leonid Tibilov.
The delegation of the Republic is taking take part in the forum for the third time. At the forum are presented the investment opportunities of the Republic, the potential size of investments in industry, tourism, agriculture and manufacturing, based on the extraction and processing of raw materials.
Comment of the Presidential Envoy of the Republic of South Ossetia for post-conflict settlement Murat Dzhioev in connection with the forthcoming action in Georgia "Journalists against the occupation." According to the media, the action is planned to be held on September 28. Georgian journalists "are going to go to the village of Dhwani with banners to express their protest "in connection with the delimitation works at the South Ossetian –Georgian border.
This action is reminiscent of the events in November 1989, when Georgia responded to the call to conduct a "peaceful" rally in Tskhinval on November 23. That action became the beginning of the nineteen-year armed confrontation. Today such a provocation may have more unpredictable consequences, as it is a question of the frontier between the two states - the Republic of South Ossetia and Georgia, which do not have, to put it mildly, any inter-state relations.
It is an obvious provocation aimed at attracting attention of the international community to the activities carried out by the relevant services of the Republic of South Ossetia on defining the border line. I`d like to emphasize that the engineering and barrage structures are being built in the territory of South Ossetia, at a certain distance from the border line and are intended to ensure a peaceful situation on the border, prevent unintentional violations because of ignorance of the borderline.
These actions are provocative because they are directed against the "occupation," though not a single Russian soldier is in the Georgian territory. As for the Republic of South Ossetia, where Russian border guards are under a bilateral intergovernmental agreement, being an important factor in the safety of the people, then it is time to understand that South Ossetia is not part of Georgia, and has no relation to its "territorial integrity." The boundaries of the recognized state of the Republic of South Ossetia are defined in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of South Ossetia and comply with the border line of the former South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the USSR, and cannot be modified in any way.
The South Ossetian authorities have repeatedly offered the Georgian side, including at the Geneva discussions, to start working together on the delimitation and demarcation of the border and in case of any specific issues to resolve them through negotiations. This would be in the interests of both countries, as well as in the interests of the ordinary villagers on both sides of the state border. However, the authorities of Georgia - the outgoing and the new - vying with each other, trying to outrun in the presidential race, to stir up the situation at the border, play this card to their advantage. It is in their interests, because the residents of the border areas know well the limits of their villages. These actions are conducted from Tbilisi, and maybe from far away.
Contrary to the opinion of Georgian politicians, who claim that "the border line between South Ossetia and Georgia does not exist," and their Western patrons, recommending that: "In today's world we should not build barriers," the state border between South Ossetia and Georgia is real, and it will be strengthened for security and stability in the region (and we recommend the Western patrons to visit the U.S. border with Mexico).
In areas of Georgia adjacent to South Ossetia, are EU monitors, whose function is to ensure stability and security in the region. I would like to believe that they will do their utmost to avoid provocative actions along the border.