EU to discuss situation in Tskhinvali region with Russia
By Nazrin Gadimova
European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule has expressed his support for the territorial integrity of Georgia and said that the EU will discuss situation in the Tskhinvali region with Russia.
At a meeting with the Georgian Minister of Justice Tea Tsulukiani, which was held in Brussels on September 18, Fule confirmed the EU's support of Georgia's territorial integrity and expressed concern over the last events in the conflict zone.
Deterioration of the situation in the conflict zone was due to the resuming the process of establishing barbwire along the de-facto border of the Tskhinvali region, particularly in the Ditsi village of the Gori region by Russian soldiers. The Georgian Foreign Ministry accused Russia of flagrant violation of the principles of international law noting that the establishing of barriers prevents the relations between the nations.
"Such actions have a negative impact on the daily lives of the local people and may prevent the settlement of the conflict," Fule said. "This process, as well as specific issues will be included in the agenda of the Geneva talks. Concerns over the establishing barbwire along the administrative line will be fixed by the European Union at the meetings with the representatives of Russia."
U.S. Ambassador Richard Norland also shares the position of the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and expresses outrage at the situation.
"We express our solidarity with the Georgian Foreign Ministry, which once again called on the international community to support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia," Norland said. "It is important to promote relations between the people and to remove the barriers that prevent this. This process at the administrative border has taken place for some time, but recently it became more intensive, although we do not know what caused it."
Georgia and Russia, its giant northern neighbor, have maintained no diplomatic relations since a brief war in 2008. Tbilisi broke off relations with Moscow in August 2008 when Moscow crushed a Georgian assault to reassert control over two rebel regions -- South Ossetia and Abkhazia -- and later recognized the regions. Georgia announced the two unrecognized republics as occupied territories in September 2008.
Russian border guard officers have begun establishing barbwire along the de-facto border shortly after the conflict. The Georgian side claims that these actions violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, as well as the principles of international law and the ceasefire agreement between Georgia and Russia dated August 12, 2008.