Moscow Trying to Defuse Tensions – Russian Official

Russia is “a constructive and responsible mediator,” engaged in efforts to help defuse tensions in South Ossetia, Boris Malakhov, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman told Itar-Tass news agency on August 6.

“Russian Deputy Foreign Ministry Grigory Karasin spoke with the president of South Ossetia, Eduard Kokoity, and with the commander of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces, Marat Kulakhmetov,” Malakhov said. “We are also in contact with the Georgian side.”

“The current situation in South Ossetia is uneasy and it needs measures to lessen [the possibility of] confrontation,” he added.

Interfax news agency reported earlier on August 6 that “an emergency meeting” had been held in the Russian Foreign Ministry over the situation in the South Ossetian conflict zone.