S. Ossetian leader, top Russian FSB official discuss republic's security, border protection
TSKHINVAL. Aug 9 (Interfax) - South Ossetian President Leonid Tibilov and Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) First Deputy Director and FSB Border Guard Service Chief Vladimir Kulishov discussed ways to maintain security and protect South Ossetia's state border at a meeting in Tskhinval on Tuesday.
"We spoke about our state border, which we control today. The relevant services continue to reinforce it, taking account of the situation in our territory, as well as in Georgia. The work of our services should be aimed at maintaining our country's security, and it should certainly meet the interests of our people. We also discussed another important issue which is on the agenda - the issue of near-border areas," Tibilov was quoted as saying by his press service.
He also thanked Russian border guards who are guarding South Ossetia's border together with their South Ossetian colleagues.
"My assurances are that our activities will always be aimed at helping personnel of Russia's relevant services always feel comfortable here, on the southern frontiers of Russia. We spoke about it literally yesterday, when we reminisced about those August war days that were frightful for our people, the multiple casualties not only among the civilian population, but also among Russian peacekeepers, soldiers. Our people are building their own future today thanks to Russia's assistance, which arrived just in time," the president said.
Kulishov, for his part, thanked Tibilov for the warm welcome.
"I would like to thank you for the warm welcome. It is always pleasant to visit populated localities where our units are serving. The main goal of my trip today is to visit facilities of our Directorate in the republic. I would like to say that the Border Guard Directorate of Russia's FSB has the experience of tackling tasks at the most difficult sectors of the state border, and you should not have any doubt that here as well our border guards will do everything possible to maintain security," he said.
Russian personnel serving in South Ossetia have a record of tackling tasks in different conditions and are equipped with everything necessary, he said.
"All this, including technical equipment, helps effectively tackle the tasks of maintaining security at the border sectors entrusted to them. I am grateful for your understanding of the problems that our Directorate faces. I am convinced that through joint efforts we will do everything possible to ensure even closer interaction and work with the local population. We clearly understand that without their trust, without kind relations, it is impossible to tackle the tasks facing us," Kulishov said.
"Hence the instruction to the director of the Russian FSB Border Guard Directorate in the republic to treat issues that have emerged with understanding and thoroughly study them, including issues of the near-border zone. People living in these territories should feel comfortable, but this work should not be done at the expense of the republic's security," he said.
The meeting was followed by a session with the heads of the relevant services of South Ossetia and Russia.