Tbilisi Against Use of Roki Tunnel for Rotation of Russian Troops
The Georgian authorities say Russia can send its new troops to rotate the peacekeeping battalion in the South Ossetian conflict zone only through legally operating customs checkpoints.
“We sent a letter to the Russian side on May 23 saying that entering [breakaway South Ossetia] via the Roki Tunnel [linking the breakaway region with Russia’s North Ossetian Republic] is a violation of agreements,” Giorgi Khaindrava, the Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues, told Russian NTV television on May 30.
The Russian side announced it launched a rotation of its peacekeepers on May 29 – a process which will last for four days.
Meanwhile, the Itar-Tass news agency reported the press service of Russia’s North Caucasus Military District on May 30 of saying that Georgia plans to thwart the planned rotation of the Russian peacekeeping troops.
