Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia in connection with placing the Georgian police post in the village of Zardiantkari
June 29, 2012 the Interior Ministry of Georgia placed a police post a few hundred meters closer to the state border of South Ossetia- in the village of Zardiantkari (Georgia), which is located opposite the South Ossetian village of Khelchua. This caused great tension among the people of the Ossetian nationality, living in this village.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia is expressing its concern by the desire of the Georgian side at any price to destabilize the situation in the immediate vicinity of the border. Georgia's military build-up, aggressive rhetoric of its leadership against South Ossetia, the constant provocations in the border areas indicate that the Georgian authorities continue to focus on deliberate escalation of the situation and are harboring revenge plans.
There are serious objections to the European Union Observer Mission, because the village is in the area of its responsibility, and the Mission is designed to ensure security of South Ossetia from Georgia. The police post was placed near the state border illegally with the silent connivance of the Observer Mission.
The South Ossetian side has repeatedly called on Georgia to address the issues of delimitation and demarcation of the border, which would have provided firm security guarantees for the population of the border areas, but the Georgian government has been deliberately evading cooperation.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia considers that only the removing of the Georgian police post to its original location can protect the local population from the recurrence of tension, but it also warns the Georgian side to stop the reckless actions, which could certainly lead to another escalation of the situation in the region.
Tskhinval, July 2, 2012.
