Georgian Police Arrest S.Ossetian Official

Georgian police arrested Vazha Khachapuridze, the representative of the South Ossetia leader for conflict issues, near in the South Ossetian conflict zone. Police said hundreds of smuggled cigarette boxes were found in Khachapuridze’s car.

Despite his position, Khachapuridze has not played a key role in conflict resolution issues. The South Ossetian side has not yet commented on this arrest.
 
Meanwhile, the South Ossetian side reported that deputy Interior Minister of the breakaway region Khazbi Guliev was arrested by the Georgian police on March 31 in the town of Khashuri, in the Shida Kartli region of Georgia.
 
According to the South Ossetian Press and Information Committee, Guliev was released on the same day “after the involvement of the OSCE mission, the Joint Control Commission and the Russian peacekeeping forces.” The Georgian State Minister’s Office for Conflict Resolution Issues denied that Guliev was arrested and reported that he was stopped by the police to simply check his papers.