EU officials see threat of escalation near occupation line in Georgia
The Ossetian and Russian sides cancelled yesterday’s talks (the 95th session of Incidents Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) with the Georgian side in Russia-occupied Ergneti village as they left the session in protest. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Politicians from the European Union have responded to the tense situation that arose yesterday in the village of Chorchana, near the Russia-occupied region of Tskhinvali, Georgia.
Member of the European Parliament and Polish politician Anna Fotyga said in her Twitter post yesterday that the threat of provocation and escalation is observed as Russian occupation and Ossetian forces have concentrated along the occupation line.
Koncentracja rosyjskich wojsk okupacyjnych i osetyjskiej milicji w pobliżu gruzińskiej wioski #Chorchana to groźba prowokacji i dalszej eskalacji. Konieczna jest stanowcza reakcja międzynar. instytucji. Stąd moja poprawka do budżet UE2020 zwiększająca środki EUMM Georgia. pic.twitter.com/WBR6QyRCBK
— Anna Fotyga - Biuro Poselskie (@AnnaFotyga_PE) August 30, 2019
She also stated that the 2020 budget of the EU Monitoring Mission to Georgia should be increased.
EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell posted on Twitter yesterday that the ‘confrontational language’ used during the 95th IPRM meeting is unacceptable.
Situation around Chorchana, incl. close proximity of armed actors on both sides of the ABL and confrontational language used in today’s IPRM, is unacceptable. We expect all sides to show maximum restraint and use their influence to ensure situation doesn’t escalate.
— Carl Hartzell (@CarlHartzellEU) August 29, 2019
The Ossetian and Russian sides cancelled yesterday’s talks (the 95th session of Incidents Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) with the Georgian side in Russia-occupied Ergneti village as they left the session in protest.
The Ossetian side demanded the Georgian side to dismantle a police checkpoint that is located on Georgia-controlled area by 06:00 AM, August 30.
The Georgian side stated the Georgian police checkpoint will not be dismantled as it is located in Georgia-controlled area.
The situation remains stable along the occupation since the term of the Ossetia’s ultimatum expired.
The Georgian and Ossetian sides are currently holding a meeting.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani has invited foreign diplomats to discuss the tense situation near the occupation line with the Russia-occupied Tskhinvali region, in Khashuri Municipality. The diplomats have convened in the foreign ministry as the 95th session of Incidents Prevention and Response Mechanism (IRPM) in Russia-occupied Ergneti village, attended by Georgian, Russian and so-called Ossetian government members fell apart today.
De facto official of the Russia-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region, Egor Kochiev said the Georgian police checkpoint in the village of Chorchana in Khashuri Municipality, close to Tskhinvali should be dismantled by 6 a.m. Friday, August 30.
Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs releases a statement regarding the latest developments at the occupation line, close to the village Chorchana situated in the territory controlled by the government of Georgia.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses concern about mobilisation of military equipment and personnel by the occupation forces at the occupation line, close to the village Chorchana situated in the territory controlled by the government of Georgia,” reads the statement.
The European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) said today’s Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) meeting “was marked by a series of intense exchanges on the topic of Tsnelisi between participants”.
The members of the Georgian government and occupation forces of the de-facto Tskhinvali region and Russia have held a meeting amid tensions along the occupation line in the Russia-occupied village of Tsnelisi today.
After the three-hour meeting was over, the Georgian and Ossetian sides made different statements. Head of the Georgian Security Council Kakhaber Kemoklidze said the meeting participants were unanimous, saying the situation should be de-escalated, adding the meeting was held in a ‘constructive environment.’
The de-facto South Ossetia ‘State Security Committee’ has announced that a ‘humanitarian operation’ will be carried out in the Russia-occupied village of Tsnelisi. The official statement does not clearly define what the ‘humanitarian operation’ is though it reads the operation is ‘absolutely peaceful.’“The operation is absolutely peaceful and serves to maintain stability and safety in the region,” the statement says.
The United States is “monitoring reports of military buildup near the administrative boundary line (ABL) of the Russian-occupied Georgian region of South Ossetia”. The US Department of State Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus released a statement on her official Twitter account today.
The de facto State Security Committee of Georgia’s eastern Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region has announced a temporary closure of the so-called border with Georgia between September 4-6.
The de facto government of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region is clearing a road to a new ‘police checkpoint’ in the village of Tsnelisi, Kareli municipality of Georgia, at an altitude of 944 meters.
The European Union Monitoring MIssion (EUMM) reported that earlier today its patrol “was briefly held by armed South Ossetian security actors”, while conducting a patrol in the Chorchana-Tsnelisi area, close to the occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.
The Estonian intelligence report of 2020 reads that this year ‘Russia’s focus will certainly be on the US presidential and Georgian parliamentary elections.’ The report says that the main goal of Russia is to ensure a more beneficial election result by favouring Russian-friendly candidates or those who have the most divisive influence in the West. “Moreover, Russia wants to show that the west is failing to hold fair elections."