Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on July 13 that although the Russian side has warned for several times about possible provocations in the South Ossetian conflict zone, he hopes recent reports indicating on possible use of force by Tbilisi are groundless, RIA Novosti and Interfax news agencies reported.
Russian media sources were extensively reporting on July 12 information disseminated by Russia?s federal security service say that the FSB (Federal Security Service) has received a tip about Georgia?s plan to start incursion in breakaway South Ossetian in mid-July.
?I hope that these reports are groundless, because otherwise it will be a signal for resumption of bloodshed [in South Ossetia],? Lavrov told reporters in Moscow.
?This is not the first case when we are noting that the Georgian side might be getting ready for certain forceful actions,? he added
Lavrov cited ongoing construction of a new military base near the conflict zone, as well as frequent rotation of Georgian peacekeeping battalion in South Ossetia as an indication of possible use of force by the Georgian side.
He said that Georgia frequently rotates its troops in the peacekeeping battalion in order to let as many soldiers as possible to familiarize with the situation on the ground.
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