S. Lavrov Raps Tbilisi

The developments around the Russian peacekeeping force in Georgia "go beyond all limits", says Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

The minister said that the Georgian authorities were brushing aside and distorting the facts, and provocations were the order of the day in the conflict zone. "Now they Russian peacekeepers to have Georgian visas, though the peacekeepers are deployed in the conflict zone under the CIS mandate supported by the OSCE. This is something unheard-of", noted S. Lavrov. In his opinion, the instances of seizure of vehicles and cargos testify to Georgia's inability to establish a direct dialog with South Ossetia, while trying to put the blame on Russia.

Meanwhile, a group of State Duma deputies headed by deputy chairman of the committee for defense Mikhail Babich have arrived in South Ossetia. The purpose of the visit is to learn first-hand the situation around the republic.

In the course of the visit the delegation was received by president of South Ossetia Edward Kokoity. The two sides discussed the situation in the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict zone and the role the peacekeeping force is playing in the settlement of the conflict.

The main task of the South Ossetian leadership is to preserve peace in the Caucasus, said E. Kokoity. The president also stressed the necessity of preserving the format of the mixed four-side commission and the unique, in all respects, peacekeeping operation, and also demanded that the Georgian side comply with the three-stage schedule of peaceful settlement.

The Russian deputies also met with the commander of the Combined Peacekeeping Force (CPF) in the conflict zone Marat Kulahmetov. They listened to his making a report on the CPF structure and functioning, as well as the situating in the conflict zone.