South Ossetia set to join Russia-Abkhazia security network - newspaper
MOSCOW. Sept 3 (Interfax) - South Ossetia is negotiating with Abkhazia its affiliation to the new Russia-Abkhazia Treaty of Amity and Mutual Assistance, which pledges the deployment of an integrated security network before the end of this year, the newspaper Izvestia said.
"We have been discussing lately the possibility of a treaty with Russia with the Abkhazian side on South Ossetian affiliation to the integrated security network. It is so far unknown whether the treaty can be trilateral or the republic signs separate agreements with Russia and Abkhazia but our efforts continue," South Ossetian Ambassador in Abkhazia Oleg Botsiyev told the newspaper.
He said the terms of South Ossetia's affiliation would differ from the terms laid down by Russia and Abkhazia.
"The content is just being discussed but it will obviously have a military element, in the first turn, and spell our conditions of the economic and information security of our region," Botsiyev said.
Abkhazia confirmed the negotiations. Abkhaz Vice-President Vitaly Gabnia said they were speaking about a powerful bloc "by the example of NATO and as its opponent."
