Pertaining to the results of the 46th round of the Geneva International Discussions
December 11-12, 2018 saw the 46th round of the Geneva International Discussions on Security and Stability in Transcaucasia, which are conducted in accordance with Medvedev-Sarkozy's agreements dated August 12, 2008 and September 8, 2008.
A news conference of Dmitrii Medoev, the South Ossetian Foreign Minister, during which he summed up the outgoing year and shared plans for 2019, was held in the press center of the State Committee on Information and Press on December 11.
During the press conference the Minister outlined the priority directions of foreign policy, having emphasized the policy of strengthening cooperation with the Russian Federation, and stressed the relevance of confrontation against the information policy of Georgia and its patrons.
Under the Decree of Vladimir Putin dated December 06, 2018 Yason Demeev, the Honorary Consul of the Republic of South Ossetia in the Far Eastern Federal District of the Russian Federation, was awarded with the Order of Honor of the Russian Federation.
Tskhinval, December 11, 2018
December 4 saw another statement by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made in Brussels that Russia should end its recognition of the independence of the Republic of South Ossetia and the Republic of Abkhazia and withdraw its forces “from these regions of Georgia”.
The consolidated position of NATO members regarding South Ossetia and Abkhazia is well known, and similar calls, accompanying traditional statements on support for Georgia in its aspiration to join NATO, have long ago turned into a necessary ritual.
Dmitriy Medoev, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia, hosted a meeting with Alan Elbakiev, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Abkhazia in the Republic of South Ossetia, on December 5, 2018.
During the meeting the parties summed up major developments in the South Ossetian-Abkhazian cooperation achieved in 2018, discussed the perspectives of further interaction between Foreign Ministries of the two states, including at the international arena, and exchanged opinion on range of issues of the bilateral agenda.
Q: Just several hours later after she was elected as the President of Georgia Mrs. Zurabishvili has stated that it’s not the time to speak with Russia and immediately reloaded the theme of Russian occupation. How can you comment on that?
Pertaining to the situation in Syria
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia strongly condemns another air strike carried by US-led coalition in Deir ez-Zor, which resulted in victims among civilians, and perceives these actions as an open act of aggression against a sovereign state.
At the request of Ashot Astabatsyan, Head of the Representation of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the Republic of South Ossetia, a meeting with Dmitrii Medoev, the South Ossetian Foreign Minister, was held on November 28, 2018.
During the meeting Mr. Astabatsyan reported on the humanitarian programs, implemented in South Ossetia in 2018, and told about the work of the Committee, planned for 2019. Head of the Representation expressed gratitude to the Ministry as the hosting party for the consistent constructive support to the Mission in territory of the Republic.
Dmitriy Medoev, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia, hosted a meeting with Vitaliy Yankovskiy, the Head of the Official Representation of the Republic of South Ossetia in the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, on November 24, 2018.
November 20 saw a working meeting of the South Ossetian delegation at the GID, headed by Murat Dzhioev, the Plenipotentiary of the President of the Republic of South Ossetia on post-conflict settlement, and the Co-Chairs of the Discussions representing the EU, the OSCE and the UN.
Agenda of the forthcoming 46th round of the GID scheduled for December 11-12 has been discussed at the meeting.
The main attention has been drawn to issues of maintaining security and stability in territories, adjusted to the South Ossetian-Georgian border, and in the region in general.
The European Parliament has prepared a draft resolution, which, inter alia, urges the Georgian authorities to “try to extend the benefits of the AA [EU-Georgia Association Agreement] and the DCFTA [Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area] to the populations of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia”.
As it became known, the draft document on the implementation of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement has been approved by the Foreign Affairs Committee and put on the agenda of the plenary session in Strasbourg this week.
In framework of the working visit to Moscow Dmitrii Medoev attended new premises of the South Ossetian Embassy, which had been provided by the Russian party in accordance with the agreements, reached by Anatolii Bibilov and Vladimir Putin in November 2017 during the official visit of the President of the Republic of South Ossetia to the Russian Federation.
