S.Ossetia Confirms Detention of Observers, Accuses OSCE of Bias

The Press and Information Committee of breakaway South Ossetia confirmed on May 13 that two monitors from the OSCE were detained in the Znauri district of breakaway region because ?the Joint Peacekeeping Forces were not notified in advance about their presence there, as envisaged by the mandate.?

Two OSCE observers were held by the South Ossetian side for an hour on May 12 and released only after an intervention from the Joint Peacekeeping Forces command stationed in the conflict zone.

OSCE Chairman-in-Office Dimitrij Rupel condemned the incident as ?a serious violation of existing agreements.?

In a statement issued on May 13 the South Ossetian Press and Information Committee also criticized the OSCE activities in the conflict zone as ?biased.?

?The military build up of the Georgian side at the borders of South Ossetia remains out of their [OSCE observers?] sight. While, the measures undertaken by the Ossetian side, in order to ensure security against an aggressive Georgia, are being exaggerated,? the South Ossetian statement reads.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)