Moscow ‘Concerned’ over S.Ossetia Post-Election Tensions
In a second statement released on November 30 over developments in breakaway South Ossetia, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow was concerned about the tensions, but had no intention to meddle in internal affairs of Tskhinvali.
Meanwhile, Russian media sources are reporting that the Kremlin has sent to Tskhinvali its senior official to try to settle post-election dispute in the region.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday evening, that post-election developments in South Ossetia “are internal affairs of our friendly neighboring state.”
“Russia, which fulfills its agreed commitments in the field of providing external security of South Ossetia, is not interfering and has no intention to interfere in its internal affairs. At the same time we continue closely follow tense situation in the republic, which, certainly, causes concern. We sincerely hope, that it will be possible to maintain constitutional order, calm and unity of the society in South Ossetia,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
Earlier on Wednesday, in a separate statement the Russian Foreign Ministry called on the political forces in Tskhinvali to accept the ruling of the Supreme Court, which annulled results of the Sunday’s presidential runoff in which Anatoly Bibilov, a candidate openly backed by the Kremlin lost the race to an opposition candidate Alla Jioyeva.
It emerged that Russia has sent Kremlin’s deputy chief of staff Sergey Vinakurov, who is in charge of inter-regional and cultural relations with foreign countries. According to the Russian and local media sources in Tskhinvali, Vinakurov arrived in the breakaway region on Wednesday evening.
Meanwhile outside the government building in Tskhinvali center, supporters of Alla Jioyeva keep protesting. According to a reporter blogging live from Tskhinvali for Russian news website, Kavkazsky Uzel, outgoing South Ossetian leader, Eduard Kokoity, came from his office to protesters late on Wednesday, trying to convince them to disperse; he, however, had to leave the protest venue after being whistled and booed, according to this report.
