Russian MFA Hails JCC Talks in Tskhinvali

In an information note issued on May 16 the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the results of the recent session of the quadripartite Joint Control Commission (JCC) held in Tskhinvali on May 11-13 confirms that the JCC is “the only effective channel for political dialogue” between Tbilisi and Tskhinvali.

“Despite separate disagreements, a session of the Joint Control Commission was held in a constructive atmosphere and allowed significant progress in the process of negotiations on Georgian-Ossetian resolution to be made,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

“Although initially the Georgian side expressed a negative attitude towards making compromising decisions, which they tried to conceal by fabricating accusations against Russia, we still managed to yield the results,” the information note reads.

During the two-day session of the JCC, which involves the Georgian, South Ossetian, Russian and Russia’s North Ossetian sides, the sides agreed to set up a joint working group which will develop a joint program on South Ossetian conflict resolution. The Georgian and South Ossetian sides also agreed to hold a meeting between Interior Ministers before June 10.

The Georgian side continues to downplay the necessity of developing a new document on the non-resumption of hostilities, citing the already existing Tbilisi-proposed peace plan.

“Despite this, the sides managed to find a common language regarding the necessity for further development of a document on the non-use of force and security guarantees. With this purpose, the working group, which has been set up in frames of the JCC, was instructed to prepare the forms and contents of a relevant document,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.