South Ossetia: West should not support Georgia’s claims for  territories of other countries

 South Ossetia determines its policy and controls its borders independently, in conformity with its national interests and the legislation, says the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of South Ossetia (RSO) in a statement on the Council of Europe’s decision “on the conflict in Georgia.”

According to the ministry, the state border infrastructure development in RSO has reduced the number of incidents connected with unintentional trespass of the border by local residents, which has tangibly defused the constant tension in the border-zone.

On May 12, the Committee of Ministers Deputies’ of the Council of Europe within the frames of the agenda item “the Council of Europe and the Conflict in Georgia” discussed and adopted the decision stating that the treaties between the Russian Federation and the Republic of South Ossetia “clearly violate Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and have no legal validity.”

In addition, in the document the Committee of Ministers Deputies’ expressed “serious concern at the continued installation of barbwire fences and other artificial obstacles by the Russian Federation violating, inter alia, human rights and fundamental freedoms including the right to free movement, right to property, the right to family life and the right to education in the native language of those residing within the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and in the adjacent areas.”

They in South Ossetia disclaim the statement on the violation of the right to education in the native language.  “Under the Constitution of the Republic of South Ossetia, the Georgian language is acknowledged as the official language in the areas densely populated with the citizens of the Republic of South Ossetia – Georgians by nationality. It is an undisputable fact that education at five schools in the territory of the republic is in Georgian,” the RSO Foreign Ministry says in the statement. 

As for the Committee of Ministers Deputies’ call on the Russian Federation “to facilitate and grant unrestricted access to the Council of Europe bodies” to the territory of South Ossetia, the RSO Foreign Ministry recalls that the access to a county is regulated by its internal legislation. The Ministry says the South Ossetia “is ready for cooperation with all the international organizations and countries that display respect for the people and legislation of the Republic of South Ossetia.”

“To develop, the Republic of South like any other country needs reliable security. The agreement between South Ossetia and Russia pursued security goals. As threats from Georgia grow, the Republic of South Ossetia sees extensive cooperation and coordinated actions with the Russian Federation as the only way to develop its defense security,” the RSO foreign ministry says and calls on the western partners of Georgia to refuse from supporting the Georgian authorities’ claims for the territories of other countries and stop false statements on the violation of the territorial integrity of Georgia. “To contribute to the peace in the region, they should show Tbilisi the only right way – to accept the reality and sign a legally binding document on the non-use of force and launch a direct, constructive dialogue with the authorities of the South Ossetia,” the Ministry says.