Meeting Underway Between Georgian, Russian Sides and de facto Tskhinvali

A meeting is underway between the Georgian side, representatives of the de facto South Ossetia (Tskhinvali region) and Russian occupation forces at the village of Chorchana, located in Khashuri district, Shida Kartli. 

Kakhaber Kemoklidze, Chief of Staff of Georgia's new National Security Council (NSC), told reporters prior to the meeting that the Georgian side is committed to continuing constructive cooperation.

The meeting was initiated by de-facto authorities of Tskhinvali (so-called South Ossetia), in response to the Georgian side’s decision not to remove the police blockade near the village of Chorchana, situated close to the occupation line (ABL).

Representatives of the de-facto regime gave ultimatums to the Georgian side to remove the Georgian blockade by 6 am today, however, the Georgian authorities refused, saying that the area has "always been a territory controlled by the central government of Georgia and they had full rights to arrange the blockade there".

"On the suggestion of the South Ossetian side, a technical meeting will be held on Friday in the district where the Georgian police erected an illegal blockade", said Murat Jioev, special representative of the de facto president of (the occupied) Tskhinvali region for the 'Settlement of Post-Conflict Issues'.

The South Ossetian side says that "In case of further escalations, counter actions will be used to protect South Ossetia's territorial integrity. Full responsibility for the possible consequences goes to the Georgian government and its Western partners."

Related Story: Tskhinvali Offers to Meet Georgian Side

Ana Dumbadze