Russian Foreign Ministry: Tbilisi deliberately escalated tensions supported by the western countries
The Russian Foreign Ministry shared “serious concern over the escalation of tension" near the occupation line between Georgia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region on August 30. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Ageda.ge
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The Russian Foreign Ministry shared “serious concern over the escalation of tension on the border between South Ossetia and Georgia” caused by the construction of Georgian police checkpoint close to the villages of Chorchana and Tsnelisi on both sides of the occupation line.
Over the past few months, Tbilisi deliberately escalated tensions on the border through provocative actions and political propaganda campaigns supported by the western countries”, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated on Friday.
It also said “these provocative actions” have been carried out with the background of “Tbilisi’s repeated refusal” to Tskhinvali “to start negotiations on the delimitation and demarcation of the border.”
Under such circumstances the South Ossetian side is forced to carry out all of the engineering works unilaterally”, the Russian Foreign Ministry said, explaining that by doing so Tskhinvali aims to “create safety conditions” on ground.
The US Department of State released a statement on Friday as well, calling on Russia “to utilise all available channels to prevent further escalation of the situation” along the occupation line.
The representative of the Georgian State Ministry for Reconciliation Zviad Zviadadze visited the village of Chochana and spoke with the local population on August 30. Zviadadze told the locals that they have no reasons for concern and can continue peaceful life.
Zviad Zviadadze familiarised himself with the problems of the local population on ground. Photo: State Ministry for Reconciliation
The European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) Head Erik Hoeg also wrote on his Twitter account at midnight saying “everything quiet so far” at the Chorchana/Tsnelisi area.
We continue monitoring Chorchana/Tsnelisi area at the ABL. 24/7.Tonight we have 9 #EUMM monitors from ???????????????????????????????????????????????? out there supported by 2 ???????? colleagues.
— Erik Hoeg (@erik_hoeg) August 30, 2019
According to regular updates from our patrols to HQ everything quiet so far. pic.twitter.com/msnW7wuvRD
The recent Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) was disrupted on August 29 as as de facto South Ossetian officials left the meeting in protest after Tbilisi refused to dismantle the police checkpoint near the village of Chorchana, close to occupied village of Tsnelisi.
Although Georgian officials unanimously said the police checkpoint will not be dismantled, de facto president of occupied Tskhinvali Anatoly Bibilov said this demand remains unchanged. Meanwhile, the de facto "security committee" said that a "humanitarian operation" will be carried out in the Russia-occupied village of Tsnelisi anyway.
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 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 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 situation remains stable in the village of Chorchana, located in Khashuri Municipality, near the Russia-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region since 06:00 AM when the ultimatum of the Ossetian side expired. The Ossetian side demanded the Georgian side dismantle a police checkpoint that is located on Georgia-controlled area and gave time by 06:00 AM, August 30.
The Foreign Affairs Committee of the US House of Representatives said “Russia must immediately cease its destructive behaviour and respect Georgian sovereignty”. In a statement released on August 30, the Foreign Affairs Committee said “Russia’s further militarisation of South Ossetia is outrageous and unacceptable".
The de facto “security committee” of Russia-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region announced that at around 10 a.m. this morning, fire was opened on their unmanned aerial vehicle from the Tbilisi-controlled Khashuri Municipality.
The Georgian State Security Service has denied accusations put forward by de facto Tskhinvali that fire was opened on their unmanned aerial vehicle from Tbilisi-controlled area.
Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid spoke of Georgia’s European Union aspirations at the 14th Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia. Speaking about EU expansion, she said Georgia is among the countries which is expected to be let in.