EU spokesperson for foreign affairs: tension at occupation line in Georgia completely unacceptable
Crossing points with Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region have been closed since September 4 2019, causing severe humanitarian situation on the ground. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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EU Spokesperson Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Maja Kocijancic says that the rising tension along the occupation line with Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region “is completely unacceptable.”
So are factually incorrect statements from within South Ossetia [Tskhinvali] concerning security actions and developments on the ground, which only fuel further tensions,” Kocijancic said.
She stated that the EU calls on all actors “to show maximum restraint and refrain from any steps or statements that could escalate the situation”.
Kocijancic said that instead, mechanisms put in place to prevent incidents and find solutions - such as the hotline, the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism in Ergneti (IPRM) and the Geneva International Discussions – “must be consistently used”.
On developments related to South Ossetia, Georgia ????????https://t.co/IahCmXmbL4
— Maja Kocijančič (@MajaEUspox) November 10, 2019
Crossing points closed since early September should be reopened without delay. All these represent the best way for finding solutions to current security, humanitarian and other problems caused by the situation along the occupation line,” she said.
Kocijancic stated that the EU Monitoring Mission, as the only international presence on the ground, “plays a key role in the ongoing work to stabilise the situation”.
She reaffirmed the EU’s “full support” for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Two individuals have already died in the Russian-controlled region as their families were unable to transport them to Tbilisi-controlled territory for treatment due to the closed crossing points.
The de facto leadership of Tskhinvali says that the crossing points will reopen as soon as Tbilisi removes an ordinary police post from the village of Chorchana, Khashuri municipality, which is located on Tbilisi-administered territory.
The de facto leadership has already opened two so-called police posts on Tbilisi-controlled territory after Tbilisi opened the police post in Chorchana at the end of August 2019, further straining the situation on the ground.