Tbilisi Appeals to Int'l Community to React to Developments at ABL

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed concern about the mobilization of military equipment and personnel by the occupation forces at the occupation line (ABL), close to the village Chorchana located in the territory controlled by the Government of Georgia.

As the Ministry says in a statement released on August 30, such destructive actions, as well as the totally unacceptable statements of the leaders of the occupation regime, represent yet another provocation which further aggravates the security environment and aims at destabilizing the situation.

“Georgia fully complies with the undertaken commitments, firmly pursues a peaceful conflict resolution policy and uses all the available diplomatic instruments for the de-escalation of the situation and in order to cease the illegal processes.

"The Georgian side continues to inform the international community about the developments on the ground and works closely with the co-chairmen of the Geneva International Discussions, the EUMM and the diplomatic corps accredited in Tbilisi.

"At the same time, the Georgian delegation raised the issue at the meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism in Ergneti on the 29th of August.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia calls on the Russian Federation to cease such illegal actions, implement its international commitments, inter alia the 12 August 2008 Ceasefire Agreement and respect sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia,” the statement reads.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia appeals to the international community to give a due reaction to the illegal developments at the occupation line and take the relevant measures to ensure these actions are ceased."

The de-facto authorities of Tskhinvali (so-called South Ossetia) region demanded the Georgians remove the police blockade put up near the village of Chorchana, giving an ultimatum of 6 am today.

The Deputy FM said removing the Georgian police block is not subject to discussion.

"This is, and has always been, a territory controlled by the central Government of Georgia, as it is recorded, including by the EUMM," Darsalia told reporters near Chorchana village.

Related Story: Deputy FM: We Do Not Even Discuss Abolishment of Georgian Police Post

By Ana Dumbadze