Georgia Slams Russian Diplomat

The Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili, on July 1, criticized Russian Foreign Ministry special ambassador Mikhail Maiorov, who is the Russian representative to the Joint Control Commission(JCC) for South Ossetian conflict resolution, and announced that Tbilisi will boycott the sessions and will not engage in any negatiations if Ambassador Mikheil Maiorov remains Russia’s envoy.

The Georgian authorities’ protests were triggered by the Russian diplomat?s evasiveness to answer questions, asked to him by Georgian State Minister for conflict resolution issues Goga Khaindrava, referring to Roki pass, which links Russia?s North Ossetian Republic with Georgia?s breakaway South Ossetia.

Maiorov infuriated the Georgian representatives with his refusal to respond when asked which two countries where linked via Roki pass. 

?If Maiorov does not know which countries are linked by the Roki pass he cannot be a person who will hold talks with the Georgian side,? Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili said at a news briefing on July 1.

Georgia offered to set up a joint checkpoint with Russia at the Roki pass. Georgian officials explain that they wants to prevent smuggling through the Russian-Georgian border at Roki, which is currently under the control of the self-styled South Ossetian Republic.

However, the Russian side rejected this proposal, citing the unfavorable position of the South Ossetian side, which is against the creation of the checkpoint.

The Georgian side also chose to boycott an earlier session of the JCC. Georgian State Minister Goga Khaindrava refused to attend the session until three Georgian security officials were released from custody in the breakaway region of South Ossetia.