Russia will sign separate agreements with Abkhazia and South Ossetia on joint efforts to protect their borders, reports quoting Russian presidential administration said.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will sign the border cooperation pacts with his Abkhazian counterpart Sergei Bagaps and South Ossetian counterpart Eduard Kokoity in Moscow on Thursday.

The Russian Federal Security Service, the Abkhazian State Security Service and the South Ossetian State Security Committee will sign another agreement, which will allow Russia to set up army and navy bases in its allied regions that will host up to 7,600 troops.

Under the treaties, Russia will train Abkhazian and Ossetian border guards and help in setting up the national border authorities of the two republics.

04.29.2009  RTTNews

 Cabinet approves list ot documents on which debts collection executed in indisputable order on basis os executive endorsment of state notaries

According to the enactment approved by the government, the list  includes: notarially certified deals on which basis the obligation of disbursement of money arises; the documents establishing debts on loans, granted to employees by the organizations for consumer needs, construction (reconstruction) or acquisition of premises, summer residences, garden small houses, lands acquisition and accomplishment; the documents establishing debts of proprietors of apartments on disbursements towards covering cost of hire-purchased premises; the documents establishing debts of legal entities and private enterpreneurs for electric power used; the documents establishing debts of tenants of premises on payment for maintenance works and use of premises, for the public utilities rendered to the population in the absence of judicial contest.

Besides, debts collection can be executed on the basis of the documents establishing unauthorized re-equipment or re-planning of inhabited and uninhabited premises, public spaces, balconies and loggias, rearrangement or installation of additional sanitary and engineering and other equipment, or causation by proprietors, lessees and tenants (physical persons) of damages to inhabited and uninhabited premises occupied by them and their equipment, caused expenditures of the organization operating the housing resources to put the premises in the initial state or to repair damages, and also the documents establishing debts of the organizations using city water and citizens, having contractual relations directly with the water supplying organizations.

04.20.2009  Official Site of the President of the republic of Abkhazia

 Moscow Financial and Industrial Academy helped Abkhazia prepare 25 experts in cost estimating of an enterprise

Experts of the Moscow Financial and Industrial Academy helped Abkhazia prepare 25 experts in cost estimating of an enterprise (business),  the chairman of the State Committee for state property management and privatization of Abkhazia Konstantin Katsia reported.

Last Friday in the State Committee a group of students  in "Cost estimating of an enterprise (business)" program passed the examinations successfully. Irina Kasarukova, the dean of the faculty «Finance and credit"  the head of the chair "Evaluative activity" of the  Academy was the chairman of the state examination board.

04.20.2009  Official Site of the President of the republic of Abkhazia

A new round of the international discussions on security on the Caucasus is planned for May 18-19, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia Sergey Shamba reported. He remarked that the question of holding the next round of the international discussions had been discussed in conversation with the EU Special Representative for the crisis in Georgia Pierre Morel, and then a written notification about the meeting appointed for May 18-19 in Geneva had arrived in Sukhum.

“Organizers of the Geneva discussions took into account our wish to hold the next round after the new report of the Secretary General of the United Nations is published that will happen approximately on May 7", Shamba said. "We said that the planned terms are convenient for us, but we will see, how much the report of the Secretary General of the United Nations estimates  realistically the situation here, how much the changed conditions and our proposals to change the format and the name of the Mission of the United Nations are considered. Our participation in the next round of the Geneva discussions depends on it ”.

As to the mechanism of interaction and reaction to security incidents with participation of representatives of Abkhazia, Georgia, the Russian Federation, the United Nations and EU (the decision to create it was taken during the fourth round in February), according to Shamba, Abkhazia insists that at first the new mandate and the name of the mission of the United Nations should be approved.

“ We see so far that in the Geneva format our wishes are realized if not at once, but gradually. We will see how the main proposals will be realized, Shamba underlined.

04.18.2009  Official Site of the President of the republic of Abkhazia

Abkhazia with the help of Russia fortifies and equips the borders with Georgia, the President of Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh informed journalists in Moscow.
 

"By the beginning of the NATO exercises in Georgia our borders will be additionally fortified. Besides, Abkhazia fortifies own borders to escape from smuggling and illegal penetration of weapons from the territory of Georgia",  the President said.

According to Bagapsh, "borders will be protected together with Russia at the request from Abkhazia". "The first line of our borders will be protected by the Abkhaz frontier guards",  he said. "In the near future documents on joint protection of borders of Abkhazia with Russia will be signed at the highest level".
 

In response to the NATO exercises In Georgia Abkhazia will conduct own maneuvers, Sergey Bagapsh declared. "The NATO exercises planned for May-June in Georgia do not serve for stabilizing the situation on the Caucasus", he said. " We track the situation in Georgia and we will conduct own maneuvers in response", the President of Abkhazia said.
 

"Abkhazia will build own army", Sergey Bagapsh declared. "The Abkhaz army will be small and self-sufficient. The strength of the army will be 10-15 thousand persons”.
 

According to Bagapsh, "Abkhazia intends to send the military men for training in higher education establishments of the Difence Ministry of Russia, respective arrangement are already available".
 

Speaking about arms of the Abkhaz army, Bagapsh said that it has enough." We can even donate a part of the weapons to museums of Georgia ", he said.
 

Sergey Bagapsh informed journalists that he intended to stand for the second term on presidential elections which will be held in Abkhazia in December this year.
 

"Evidently I will stand for the second term as under the Constitution of Abkhazia the President has the right to be elected two times for a term of five years ", he said. According to Bagapsh," it will be democratic elections but the main thing is that they would be transparent and fair".
 

He remarked that "before the elections there can be scattering of opinions, but then all the people are obliged to respect a majority choice. Only this way we will build a civilized, democratic state".
 

As the President informed, the Russian military base in Gudauta is actually ready. Its strength will be defined in the near future. “The base will be in the condition corresponding to the situation developing on the Caucasus”, he said.
 

According to Bagapsh, "equipment of the Russian military base in Gudauta has already begun, troops are in place".
 

Speaking about the Russian military base in Ochamchira, Bagapsh remarked that "it will be a small naval base where except for five-six Russian battleships, there will be also ten ships of the Abkhaz Navy".

04.18.2009  Official Site of the President of the republic of Abkhazia

Sukhum, Agricultural equipment for agroindustrial complex is delivered to Abkhazia, Minister for Agriculture Jury Akaba reported.

The 2009 state budget provides 9,5 million rubles for acquisition of agricultural equipment.

One of these days from the Krasnodar territory to Sukhum 13 tractor ploughs, nine towed sprayers, four garden sprayers, five cultivators, three corn seeding machines which will allow sowing up to 60 hectares a day, six disk harrows, seven spreaders of fertilizers will be delivered. On the list there are both potato-planters and potato-diggers, 1000 pieces of ploughshares, 1000 m. of pressure sleeves, etc.

In 2008 the Ministry for Agriculture purchased towed equipment for the amount up to 6 million rbl. This year about 65 units of towed equipment are to be delivered.

According to the Minister, today the primary goal of the Ministry for Agriculture is to provide technical equipping of farmers what will allow reducing use of heavy hand work on large scale and personal farms.

04.17.2009  Official Site of the President of the republic of Abkhazia

Moscow, The republic of Abkhazia may hold its own military exercises in response to NATO's planned drills in Georgia next month, Abkhazia's leader said on Friday.

The Cooperative Longbow 09/Cooperative Lancer 09 command-and-staff exercise, led by the Western military alliance, will be held from May 6 through June 1, but will not feature light or heavy weaponry.

"The planned NATO exercises in Georgia do not lead to the stabilization of the situation in the Caucasus," Abkhaz President Sergei Bagapsh said. "We observe the situation in Georgia and we will conduct our own drills in response."

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has dismissed the drills as "disappointing," saying they threatened to complicate ties with Russia. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the exercises could raise tensions in the Caucasus region.

Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states after a five-day war last August with Georgia, which attacked South Ossetia in an attempt to bring it back under central control.

Bagapsh said Abkhazia was with Russian assistance reinforcing the border with Georgia to prevent protests against President Mikheil Saakashvili spreading to its territory. He also said additional security measures would be introduced on the border by the time the NATO drills began in Georgia.

Speaking about the planned Russian military base in Gudauta, in the west of Abkhazia, Bagapsh said it was expected to "open in the near future."

"The agreement has been signed. The base is practically in place," Bagapsh said, adding that the number of servicemen needed "to maintain peace and stability in Abkhazia" would be finalized later.

The Abkhaz leader said the Russian naval base would be also built in the coastal town of Ochamchira, in Abkhazia, which is to be used by the Russian Black Sea Fleet. "There will be five to six Russian craft and 10 of ours," he said.

Bagapsh earlier said Russia would deploy a total of 3,800 troops in Abkhazia for the next 49 years.

04.17.2009  RIA Novosti

Moscow, Abkhazian President Sergei Bagapsh intends to run for the second term at the presidential elections in the republic due in December 2009.

“I intend to run for the second term, as under the Abkhazian Constitution the president is granted the right to be elected twice for five years each time,” Bagapsh told a press conference in Moscow on Friday.

According to Bagapsh, “It will be democratic elections, and the most important thing that they should be transparent and fair.”

“Before the elections there can be various views, but after the elections all the people should respect the choice of majority. Only this way we will build a civilized and democratic state,” the Abkhazian president said.

04.17.2009  Itar-Tass

 Mayor of Sukhum presented the Cup and valuable presents to the basketball players who had taken 4th place in the All-Russia tournament on basketball "Locomotive - school league"

The Head of administration of the city of Sukhum Alias Labakhua presented the Cup and valuable presents to the basketball players who had taken 4th place in the All-Russia tournament on basketball "Locomotive - school league", a spokesman for the Federation of basketball of Abkhazia Ruslan Tarba reported.

In the tournament held from April 9 till April12 in Rostov-on-Don, 12 teams from 11 regions of Southern Federal District of the Russian Federation and Abkhazia participated.

04.17.2009  Official Site of the President of the republic of Abkhazia

 Reports of 23 students awarded with diplomas of IV International scientifical and practical conference of students, post-graduate students and young scientists of the Abkhaz State University

In the Abkhaz State University the IV International scientifical and practical conference of students, post-graduate students and young scientists dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the University was over. In the conference organized by the ASU Student's scientific society , young scientists and students from Moscow, Tiraspol and Saratov participated.

The rector of ASU Aleko Gvaramija congratulated the students on the successful ending of the forum and especially emphasized the urgency of the reports given.

For two days the students had worked in sections “physical and mathematical sciences”, “natural sciences”, "economics", "history", "jurisprudence", "political science", "pedagogics", “philological sciences”, etc.

Reports of 23 students were awarded with diplomas of the conference.

“I’m an economist and have participated in the work of the section where students’ reports on actual problems of formation and development of the economy of a state have been given. Now we can co-operate as two high education establishments equal in rights”, a lecturer from Saratov branch of the Russian State Trade and Economic University Ivan Vasilev said in speech. He wished success to all the participants of the conference and invited ASU students to take part in the similar scientifical and practical conference in the city of Saratov, the editor of the “Abkhaz University” newspaper Batal Shulumba told “Apsnypress”.

04.17.2009  Official Site of the President of the republic of Abkhazia

Geneva, 16 April 2009 - The three Co-Chairs of the Geneva discussions on Georgia made the following announcement today:

"The Co-Chairs of the Geneva discussions announce that the fifth session of the discussions will take place on Monday, 18 May, and Tuesday, 19 May, 2009, exceptionally in the premises of the International Labour Organization in Geneva (the premises of the United Nations Palais des Nations not being available on those dates). As usual, a press conference of the three Co-Chairs will follow at the United Nations Palais des Nations in the afternoon of 19 May, after the conclusion of the fifth session of discussions."

The Co-Chairs of the Geneva discussions are Ambassador Charalampos Christopoulos, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Johan Verbeke of the UN and Ambassador Pierre Morel of the EU.

04.16.2009  Press release OSCE

Moscow, Abkhazia's president reiterated on Thursday that his republic does not want peace observers from the European Union, but said they should continue to be deployed in neighboring Georgia as a safeguard against aggression.

Under a deal signed by the French and Russian leaders last September, following the Russia-Georgia war, the EU was to deploy 200 monitors in Georgia. However, their mandate became a source of dispute after Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states.

"I confirm that there would be no point in admitting an EU mission to Abkhazia, because we have observers and a mission from the United Nations. This is more than enough for us," Abkhaz president Sergei Bagapsh said during an interview on Russia Today's Spotlight program to be broadcast on Friday.

He said Abkhazia is "cautious" over admitting EU monitors, due to the EU's refusal to recognize Abkhazia as an independent country. However, he said the observers are still needed south of the border.

"Observers of the military situation are needed over there, where the aggression has been coming from for the past 20 years."

Bagapsh reiterated that Abkhazia refuses to negotiate with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili's regime.

"As far as Georgia's political actors and political leadership are concerned, we will have no contact with the current leadership," he said.

On February 13, the UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution to extend the mandate for its observer mission in Georgia and Abkhazia by four months.

The UN mission in the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict zone - formerly known as the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) - was deployed in 1993 to oversee a ceasefire following a post-Soviet conflict that resulted in Abkhazia gaining de facto independence.

Bagapsh said that Abkhazia will not seek recognition from any other countries.

"We are not going to ask anyone to recognize Abkhazia. We ourselves must work to create such a situation in the republic - economic and political stability, national unity - that will leave nobody with any questions," he said.

Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia after the five-day war with Georgia, which attacked South Ossetia in an attempt to bring it back under central control.

Russia's decision was condemned by the United States and the EU. Nicaragua has so far been the only other country to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

04.16.2009  RIA Novosti

Sukhum, Abkhaz special services have foiled attempts by the Georgian security forces to stage terrorist attacks in the upper part of the Kodor Valley which were assisted by Georgian priests, the Abkhaz Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

"Preventive operations by Abkhaz special services resulted in the fact that irrefutable evidence for the involvement of Tariel Gurchiani (priest Giorgy), Shota Kobalia (priest Bidzina) and Tengiz Kvirkvelia (priest Zabulon) in sabotage and immoral activities aimed at committing acts of violence and destabilizing the situation in Abkhazia," the statement reads.

Special communication means and various propaganda leaflets were found in searches at the priest's houses in the Kodor Valley, the statement reads.

According to the statement, the Abkhaz side did not expel the priests. "Given the irrefutability of the evidence gathered during the investigation, the Georgian Orthodox Church priest preferred to voluntary leave Abkhazia," the statement reads.

The Abkhaz Foreign Ministry expressed concerns over the fact that "representatives of the Georgian Orthodox Church take part in provocations of Georgian authorities."

Earlier, head of the so-called Abkhaz government in exile Malkhaz Akishbaya said that three Georgian priests accused of spying were expelled from Abkhazia last Friday.

04.10.2009  Interfax

Sukhum, Abkhazia has decided to reinforce protection of its border with Georgia, which will be done together with the Russian military contingent, Abkhazia's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

The ministry said the move was due to "the increasing threat of armed provocations on the part of Georgia" and the recent seizure by Georgia of a Turkish tanker heading from Sukhum to Istanbul in neutral waters.

The ministry also said additional measures were being taken to improve air defense and ship navigation security.

Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states on August 26 last year after a five-day war with Georgia, which attacked South Ossetia to try to regain control of the region.

Abkhazia has since reported numerous border provocations by Georgia.

04.08.2009  RIA Novosti

Sukhum, Patriarch-Catholicos Ilia II of All Georgia won't be able to visit Abkhazia in May, said head of the Sukhum and Abkhazia Diocese Priest Vissarion Aplia.

"The visit is out of the question. The Patriarch allows himself to make political statements and to assert that, "Abkhazia is an integral part of Georgia and that it will never be separated from Georgia," Fr. Vissarion told Interfax.

"It is yet another provocation. We have not invited him to come to Abkhazia. I wonder how he is going to enter the KodoriGorge," he said.

04.06.2009  Interfax

Strasbourg, NATO says Russia has not ended the withdrawal of its troops from the territory of Georgia, according to a final declaration adopted at the NATO summit on Saturday.

The alliance also continues to call on Russia to revise its decision on the recognition of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

04.04.2009  Itar-Tass

Moscow, Georgia and Ukraine are even further from joining NATO today than five years ago, said Russian Permanent Representative at NATO Dmitry Rogozin.

"I think Georgia and Ukraine are further from joining NATO today than not only one year ago but even five years ago," Rogozin said on Vesti 24 news television channel on Friday.

This situation is due to "the Russian diplomacy's tough and firm actions," which persuade "many in the alliance" that, for instance, Georgia represents "two permanent conflicts with its neighbors" which NATO has to deal with, Rogozin said.

If Georgia is admitted to the alliance without Abkhazia and South Ossetia, then NATO has to recognize independence of these republics, he said.

"The alternative is to admit Georgia together with two Russian brigades, our bases, and the two republics that hate to see NATO and Saakashvili," he said.

As regards Ukraine, "before at least some stability is established in Kyiv and new presidential and maybe even parliamentary elections are held, it is dangerous to talk about admitting this country to NATO," he said.

"This would simply tear NATO apart. Therefore no decisions will be made either on Ukraine or on Georgia today," Rogozin said referring to a NATO summit underway on Friday.

04.03.2009  Kyiv Post

Moscow/Minsk, Kommersant, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko gave his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, an unpleasant surprise on Thursday, for the Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia.. The Belarusian parliament has not put on its spring agenda the issue of recognizing the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, although Lukashenko promised two weeks ago that it would do so.

Moscow believes the reason for the turnaround was its refusal to lend 100 billion rubles ($3 billion) to Belarus.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the issue of recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia will be discussed with the Belarusian authorities soon.

Russian officials saw the absence of this issue in the Belarusian parliament's agenda as an insult.

"This is a very unpleasant and completely unexpected surprise," said a high-ranking official on the staff of the Union State of Russia and Belarus. He said the same was true of the Belarusian decision to cut the broadcasts of some Russian TV cable channels on April 1.

Belarus has reasons to be displeased with Russia. The Russian Finance Ministry has recently refused to lend 100 billion rubles to Belarus, for which Lukashenko had been lobbying since late last year. A source at the Finance Ministry said on the condition of anonymity that Minsk "has sent a new request for a $2 billion loan against Russia's state guarantees."

Last fall, Russia promised to lend $2 billion to Belarus and has already provided $1.5 billion.

Analysts say that Belarus will continue to maneuver between the West and Russia, but Lukashenko will have to make a stand on Abkhazia and South Ossetia soon. Besides, Brussels is losing patience with Belarus. Yesterday the European Parliament adopted a resolution denouncing Belarus for repeated violations of human rights and encouraging it to start democratic reforms.

Yaroslav Romanchuk, president of the Minsk-based Mizes Center, said: "Lukashenko will play for time, but in May or June, when the money runs out, he will have to bow to Moscow and recognize the republics' independence."

However, Moscow does not want to wait. A high-ranking source in the Russian Foreign Ministry told the newspaper that the issue of recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia "will be discussed with Minsk in earnest very soon."

04.03.2009  RIA Novosti

Sukhum, Abkhazian president Sergei Bagapsh says recognition of Abkhazia’s independence is inevitable.

“Recognition of independence by the world community is an inevitable process, we will never return to former political and economic order,” Bagapsh said, GHN agency reports.

Bagapsh added that if earlier European commissioners were trying to convince Abkhazia to establish diplomatic relations with Georgia, now they are talking about security of civilians in the near-border regions and activities of European humanitarian organizations in Abkhazia.

“There are grounds to hope Belarus will support our independence by the end of the year,” Sergei Bagapsh said.

It should be reminded that independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia has been recognized only by Russia and Nicaragua so far. Representatives of a number of states, including Alyaksandr Lukashenka, but none of them have officially recognized the republics.

The European Union repeatedly said a decision on development of the dialogue between Europe and official Minsk would depend in particular on the treatment of the issue of recognition of the break-away republics situated on the territory of Georgia.

Alyaksandr Lukashenka has had a personal meeting with Sergei Bagapsh in Sochi.

04.03.2009  Charter 97

The Abkhazian authorities have once more demanded an independent mission to replace UNOMIG, which should include the Geneva consultations in its mandate.

Abkhazia demands a separate UN mission

The Abkhazian authorities have once more demanded the setting up of a separate UN Mission in Abkhazia to replace the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) in the region and the restoration of the Chuburkhinji weekly negotiations. At a meeting with the Special Representatives of the OSCE, UN and EU, Co-Chairmen of Geneva talks Pierre Morel, Johan Verbeke and Charalampos Christopoulos on Monday [30 March 2009], the Abkhaz Foreign Minister Sergey Shamba said it is necessary to adopt a new UN mandate and make the Geneva consultations part of that mandate. He said the Abkhazian side considers the Geneva negotiations process “temporary.”
 

“However if it turns out that the Geneva process is effective and crucial, then it will become necessary to try to take into account the proposals of the Abkhazian side in order to achieve real results there,” news agency Apsnypress quoted the de facto Minister as saying. Shamba said the name of the mission is not a minor issue, it is a very important thing. “This is an element which reflects the essence of the whole problem,” he told the representatives of the OSCE, UN and EU, adding that “setting up a new UN mandate will be a test of how relations are changing towards us.” The Special Representative of the Secretary General of the UN, Johan Verbeke, said the name of the mission is a very important issue, “however, the decision on this issue should be made by the members of the UN Security Council.”

The Co-Chairmen of the US, UN, OSCE and EU-mediated Geneva talks, which discuss issues of maintaining peace and security in the Caucasus region, arrived in Sukhum to discuss the upcoming fifth round of the Geneva negotiations. The EU Special Representative Pierre Morel recalled the results of the fourth round of talks held in mid-February. The sides then agreed to work out a joint mechanism of accident prevention. Morel said it is necessary to hold a fifth round of discussions in mid-April [2009] and suggested that the incident prevention mechanism should already be implemented by that time, adding in the light of recent developments that “the sooner the mechanism starts working, the better.”

Charalampos Christopoulos of the OSCE stated that it is very important to continue the Geneva consultations as a number of serious results had been achieved. Now it is important to move forward, Christopoulos said. Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the Abkhaz Foreign Minister said the mechanisms laid down in Geneva could only be made to work if there is a new UN mandate. “We want to maintain the key role of the UN in this process,” Shamba stated.

Meanwhile the de facto South Ossetian leaders have decided to let the Co-Chairs of Geneva talks enter Tskhinval on OSCE vehicles. According to the Special Representative of the de facto South Ossetian President on Post-Conflict Regulation, Boris Chochiev, this decision has been made because the Ossetian side “realizes the importance of the discussions.”

“However we have warned the representative of the UN, OSCE and EU that this will be their last visit to South Ossetia in the vehicles of OSCE observers, if the agreement on an OSCE mission to South Ossetia is not reached at the next round of talks in Geneva,” news agency Osinform quoted Chochiev as saying.

04.02.2009  UNPO

Brussels, NATO wants to discuss with Russia its plans for military bases in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the military alliance's secretary general said on Thursday.

Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said NATO intends to continue strengthening relations with Georgia within the framework of Georgia-NATO Commission.

Russia's Defense Ministry has said it plans to open one base in Gudauta, in the west of Abkhazia, and another in Tskhinval, the capital of South Ossetia, which would be fully operational by the end of 2010.

Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states on August 26 last year after a five-day war with Georgia, which attacked South Ossetia to try to regain control of the region.

04.02.2009 RIA Novosti

Vienna, Russia's envoy to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said on Thursday Russia supported a monitoring mission on both sides of the Georgian-South Ossetian border.

"We are proposing establishing two independent groups of observers in the region," Anvar Azimov told a session of the OSCE Standing Council.

He said that the first group of 20 monitors should continue its activities in Georgian territories, adjacent to South Ossetia. The second group, comprising eight monitors, would be deployed in border regions along the republic of South Ossetia.

"Naturally, the two groups should receive a mandate from both Tbilisi and Tskhinval," Azimov said.

He added that Russia's stance on security issues in South Caucasus was "abundantly clear."

"Maintaining secure stability in the region is impossible without an agreement on the non-use of force, coordination of a security regime along Gerogia's borders with South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and an embargo on supplies of offensive weapons to Georgia," the Russian diplomat said.

The OSCE mission had a presence in South Ossetia until Georgia's attack on its former republic in August. The organization stated its desire to reinstate its monitors in South Ossetia after the ensuing five-day Georgia-Russia war, but was denied permission by the South Ossetians, who accused the OSCE of failing to prevent the Georgian attack.

The Georgian offensive on South Ossetia led to a Russian military response to "force Georgia to peace." Two weeks after the end of this operation, Russia recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another rebel republic, as independent states. So far, only Nicaragua has followed suit.

04.02.2009 RIA Novosti