OSCE Envoy, Russian Diplomat Discuss S.Ossetia

Alexander Grishko, the Russian deputy foreign minister, met Heikki Talvitie, the special envoy of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, and discussed the situation in the South Ossetian conflict zone on July 7, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

“Special attention was paid to the situation in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone in light of recent provocative steps undertaken by Georgia, involving the shelling of Tskhinvali overnight on July 4,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “The Russian side stressed the necessity to stop aggressive acts against South Ossetia by Georgia. In this regard, [the Russian deputy foreign minister] expressed his hope that the Finnish Chairmanship of the OSCE would facilitate measures needed for a de-escalation in tensions in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone.”