Tskhinval regards Georgia-NATO exercise as security threat to region
TSKHINVAL. May 23 (Interfax) - South Ossetia is alarmed by the NATO-Georgia joint military exercise near its borders, presidential envoy on post-conflict settlement, Murat Dzhioyev, said at a Monday meeting in Tskhinval, with co-chairmen of the Geneva discussions.
"We see threats continuing on the part of the Georgian authorities. The NATO-Georgia joint exercise which we regard as a threat to security in the region, also arouses our concern. We know from experience, that Georgian servicemen trained by U.S. instructors, took part in aggressions against South Ossetia," he said.
Dzhioyev also said that in the context of Georgia's continuing threats and the joint exercise with NATO, and also, the refusal to sign peace agreements, questions of maintaining security in the region become increasingly topical.
The envoy conveyed the words of South Ossetian President Leonid Tibilov to the co-chairmen.
"The president noted that guaranteeing security is an important priority for us. Therefore, our expectations of the discussions are topical and important. Security issues in the region remain vital in the context of the challenges that are building up in the South Caucasus in general," Dzhioyev said.
He drew the attention of the co-chairmen to the public statements of the Georgian authorities, particularly the recent remark of Georgian parliament speaker, David Usupashvili, that "so far the question of Georgia's territorial integrity has not been resolved, Georgian servicemen have not fulfilled their tasks."
"The years' long aggression of Georgia against South Ossetia has still not been internationally condemned, and Georgia's military ambitions are not running out. On May 20, we marked the day of remembrance of the victims of the Georgian aggression. On that day, in 1992, at the height of hostilities in the republic, the Georgian military shot down civilians on the circumventing Zar road. This inexplicable action, conducted with inhuman brutality, had no military sense. But 33 peaceful Ossetians fell victim to it, many of the survivors have not yet recovered," Dzhioyev said.
He reminded his listeners that the Georgian leadership condemned the crime, and promised to punish the culprits, but not a single person was detained or tried.
"In light of the above, we attach great hope to the Geneva discussions. The objectives of the Geneva discussions are clear and very important - to preserve security and sign legally-binding agreements on non-use of force," the envoy said.
In turn, EU Co-Chair Herbert Zalber said that guaranteeing peace and security in the region is an important objective of the Geneva discussions. "During the pervious round, we worked constructively, positive steps are taking shape. We are ready to continue working on mapped out issues," he said.
The rest of the meeting was closed to media representatives.
Co-chairmen of the discussions representing the EU, OSCE and UN arrived in Tskhinval, on Monday, to discuss the agenda of the upcoming round of the Geneva meetings were are due in June.
