Russian Envoy Comments on S.Ossetia, Russian Peacekeepers

The situation in the South Ossetian conflict zone remains ?quite tense? and a meeting of the Joint Control Commission (JCC) is necessary to help in ?stabilizing the situation,? the Russian Foreign Ministry?s special envoy Valerie Kenyaikin said in an interview with RIA Novosti news agency on September 20.

Kenyaikin, who represents the Russian side during meetings of the JCC, also said that this quadripartite commission will hold a session in Vladikavkaz, Russia?s North Ossetian Republic by the end of September. The JCC involves representatives from the Georgian, South Ossetian, Russian and North Ossetian sides and oversees the ceasefire and demilitarization in the conflict zone.

The Russian envoy also said that the ?time has come? to hold talks between Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli and South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity as well.

?The situation in the conflict zone is quite tense – sporadic shootouts take place. To move forward in respect of a political [solution to the conflict], it is necessary to observe all those agreements which have been reached within frames of the JCC, including [agreements] on demilitarization and economic rehabilitation of the region? Without this, the sides will fail to negotiate? Currently, there is no possibility of solving global issues,? Kenyaikin said.

He said that issues related with demilitarization and rehabilitation of the conflict zone will top the agenda of the upcoming JCC session.

He also said that the presence of Russian peacekeepers in the conflict zone is ?a stabilizing factor.? ?Our peacekeeping forces are a tool, which helps maintain a fragile military balance, or ceasefire, which is currently there,? the Russian envoy said, while commenting on criticism of the Russian peacekeeping troops voiced by the Georgian authorities recently.

Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Giorgi Khaindrava said in a statement on September 19 that the deployment of extra troops and military hardware by the South Ossetian side in the breakaway region?s capital Tskhinvali was a violation of agreements. These extra troops took part in a military parade in Tskhinvali to mark the unrecognized republic?s ‘independence’ on September 20.

?Of course there are elements of violation [of the agreement] and Commander of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces Maj. Gen. [Marat] Kulakhmetov has described it fairly as a violation of existing agreements… But we should take into consideration the fact that the South Ossetian side informed all members of the JCC about the deployment of equipment to Tskhinvali ? 4 tanks and 4 armored vehicles ? in advance,? Kenyaikin said.

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