MOSCOW. The command of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces in the Georgian- South Ossetian conflict zone reports that Georgian military observers left their stations before the attack on Khetagurovo, South Ossetia, began on August 7, Vladimir Ivanov, an aide to the commander of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces, told RIA Novosti by telephone.

“About 3:50 p.m. Moscow time, a group of Georgian military observers from the Joint Peacekeeping Forces left the peacekeeping headquarters in Tskhinval, where they are to be deployed in accordance with existing agreements, citing superior orders,” Ivanov said.

He said an “intensive fire was opened from the Georgia-controlled territory against Khetagurovo, a village in South Ossetia located 8 km from Tskhinval, from firearms, grenade-launchers and large-calibre artillery guns.”

The command of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone is working with the co-chairmen of the Joint Control Commission on conflict settlement, the authorities and law-enforcement agencies in an attempt to stop the fire between the sides to the conflict, the aide to the commander of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces said.

MOSCOW. Russia is honouring its commitment to mediate the settlement of the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict, RIA Novosti was told in the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Information and Press Department.

“We continue to fulfil our role of mediator and to assist in the settlement of the conflict. We have been keeping communication lines open with both Georgia and South Ossetia,” the Ministry said.

The Ministry views the current fighting with the use of artillery and mine and grenade launchers as “a situation that has reached the danger line.”

“Emergency action must be taken to defuse tensions. Russia has been closely monitoring the situation in the region. Responsibility for the current deterioration in the situation rests squarely with Georgia,” the Ministry said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has called on Georgia to “assume a reasonable and balanced attitude, and stop military preparations and the use of military
force.”

“We are also working in the same vein with the leadership of South Ossetia,” RIA Novosti was told in the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Information and Press Department.

TSKHINVAL. Two South Ossetians were killed on August 7 during the shelling of the village of Tsunar in the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict zone, where the situation has deteriorated dramatically in the past few days, RIA Novosti was told by the officer on duty in the republic’s Interior Ministry.“One of them was an elderly man, who died in a direct hit of his house,” he said, adding that a woman also died in the shooting.

TSKHINVAL. Boris Chochiev, South Ossetian co-chairman of the Joint Control Commission (JCC) on the Georgian-South Ossetian settlement, is to meet with Temur Yakobashvili, the Georgian minister for reintegration, on August 8, in the presence of Russian mediators, Yury Popov, Russia’s Ambassador at Large, told journalists.

The meeting is to be held at the peacekeepers’ headquarters in Tskhinval.“The meeting will be held tomorrow outside the JCC framework as an exceptional measure. This does not mean we will no longer work jointly in the JCC; we think that the JCC format is the only form of negotiations allowing us to discuss critical issues and take binding decisions,” Popov said.

He said it would be an emergency meeting held to search for a way out of the current crisis and ensure a firm ceasefire, troop withdrawal and an end to the armed confrontation as a precondition for strengthening security in the region. Boris Chochiev said that given the current situation the meeting would not become an accepted format for the talks. This would not be possible, because we have the internationally accepted format of four-party talks within the JCC, he said.

“The meeting is an emergency measure. We have held such meetings before with the involvement and assistance of Russia, in particular in 2004, when the JCC was working actively,” Chochiev said.

Marat Kulakhmetov, commander of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces in the Georgian-
South Ossetian conflict zone, told journalists he pinned big hopes on the meeting tomorrow between Boris Chochiev, South Ossetian co-chairman of the JCC, and Temur Yakobashvili, the Georgian Minister for Reintegration.

“The trend of the past two days shows that we have approached a critical line. The next step would have landed us into a precipice. The sides were standing against each other, hoisting weapons and ready for war. I hope that the meeting tomorrow will put an end to this confrontation,” Kulakhmetov said. According to him, the situation in the conflict zone is relatively calm. A ceasefire has lasted four hours.

Kulakhmetov said that he had met with Yakobashvili, who informed him about a statement made by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, according to whom Georgia will not resume the use of military force in the conflict zone until the situation there returns to normal.