Russian MFA: Tbilisi ‘Sabotages’ JCC on South Ossetia

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in an information note on September 22 that Georgia is “sabotaging” the work of the quadripartite negotiating body over South Ossetia Joint Control Commission (JCC) in an attempt to scrap the current peace format.

A second round of the 51st session of the JCC was thwarted on September 15 following a disagreement between Tbilisi and Tskhinvali over the composition of the Georgian delegation.

“An agreement was reached to hold the second round of the JCC on September 26-27 in Vladikavkaz [capital of Russia’s North Ossetia]. But it seems that it will again be postponed for a later date. The Georgian side, citing ‘earlier planned visits and the tight schedule’ of its co-chairman [of the JCC, State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Merab Antadze], has offered to postpone the session until October 12-13,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

However, despite the Georgian side’s “attempts to discredit” the JCC, the negotiating arrangement has proved itself to be a meaningful peacekeeping mechanism, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

The Russian MFA has also called on the Georgian side to accept South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity’s offer to hold high-level talks between the conflicting sides.

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