S.Ossetia Rejects JCC Session in Tbilisi, Citing Security Concerns

Deputy Chairman of the breakaway South Ossetian government Boris Chochiev, who is South Ossetian chief negotiator, rejected the Georgian side?s proposal to hold next session of the quadripartite Joint Control Commission (JCC) in Tbilisi on January 18-20/

In a letter sent to Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Giorgi Khaindrava on January 5, Boris Chochiev said that he deems it unreasonable to hold JCC session in Tbilisi against the background of ?those threats, which have been voiced by the Georgian Interior and Defense Ministers towards the South Ossetian top leadership.?

Chochiev offered to hold JCC session in the Russia?s North Ossetian capital Vladikavkaz.

But the South Ossetian chief negotiator also requested the State Minister Khaindrava to clarify Tbilisi position over agenda of the session.

In a letter sent to the South Ossetian side, Georgian State Minister Khaindrava reiterated the Georgian side?s readiness to hold JCC session in Tbilisi to set up ?Georgian-Ossetian group, which will develop a joint plan of action based on peace plan and the South Ossetian side?s position.?

But the South Ossetian side demands to set up a joint working group which will develop a new peace plan ? different from the one which has been proposed by the Georgian side.

In his letter, Boris Chochiev said that the South Ossetian side will agree on the agenda of the session which will include a following formulation of the issue: ?Setting up of a joint working group for development of an agreed program (plan) on settlement of the Ossetian-Georgian relationships.?

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