Russia and South Ossetia agree on state border

Foreign ministers of the Russian Federation and the Republic of South Ossetia (RSO) signed an Agreement on the State Border between South Ossetia and Russia to formalize the two countries’ relations and develop the contractual base, the Embassy of South Ossetia in Russia says in a statement.

“The major goal of the document is to grant an international and legal status to the South Ossetia – Russia border as well as create conditions for enhancing the friendly and good-neighbored relations between South Ossetia and Russia,” the embassy says.

The document does not look to lift the customs point between Russia and South Ossetia, though the population anticipated it. Meanwhile, the issue is included in the document on the alliance and integration the two countries is preparing to sign later.

The Agreement on the State Border is based on the provisions of the Agreement of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance South Ossetia and Russia signed on September 17, 2008.

The delegations of the two countries launched combined work on delimitation of the South Ossetia- Russia state border in 2010. It resulted in a document that was signed by the parties and is subject to ratification by the two parliaments. “The Agreement determines the state boundary of the Russian Federation and the Republic of South Ossetia along the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range. The line of the boundary is available on the topographic map enclosed to the Agreement as an integral part of it,” the embassy says.

The agreement was signed by South-Ossetian Foreign Minister David Sanakoyev and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

As EAD reported earlier, the Russian foreign minister has come out with a statement saying an agreement on state border between Russia and South Ossetia should dispel Georgia’s insinuations about alleged preparations for "annexation" and "accession." "Such a document is of cornerstone importance in the inter-state relations between neighboring countries. We hope that this will dispel insinuations disseminated by the Georgian side that an alleged 'annexation', 'merger', 'accession of South Ossetia ' is being prepared. The aim of such speculations is to discredit Russian policy in the South Caucasus and to distort the essence of its cooperation with young republics. Russia’s relations with South Ossetia and Abkhazia will continue developing on an equitable and mutually respectful basis," the minister said.

The Embassy of South Ossetia says the “Agreement will take its important place among the other interstate, inter-governmental and inter-department agreements and treaties, and the bilateral documents yet to be signed. The Agreement on the State Border once again demonstrates the progressive development of the friendly, good-neighbored and equal relations of the two sovereign states and will create additional framework for cooperation of the Republic of South Ossetia and the Russian Federation.”