Russia, S. Ossetia to scrap joint border checkpoints - president Tivilov
TSKHINVALI. Feb 4 (Interfax) - Problems arising for South Ossetians passing customs and border checks when entering Russia will soon be no more thanks to an alliance and partnership agreement signed between the two countries, South Ossetian President Leonid Tibilov told Interfax.
"One of the articles in the agreement abolishes checkpoints on the Russian-South Ossetian border. This clause of the agreement, unlike several others which prompted heated public debate in South Ossetia, are welcomed by everyone in the republic without exception. It was Russia who suggested removing the checkpoints, which once again attests that Moscow pays attention to the problems of its ally," the South Ossetian leader said.
The requirement to pass through customs and border procedures on the border with Russia is one of topical issues facing South Ossetians, he said.
"Almost all the citizens of our republic also have Russian citizenship but that is not the only circumstance that serves as the reason for frequent trips to the neighboring North Ossetia, where most of them have relatives, or to other Russian regions. Some do in fact travel to see their relatives, others to fix their health at Russian clinics, business people (travel) for merchandise," he said
Now this problem has come closest to its solution, which was authored by Russia, Tibilov said.
