Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia

Noble Partner 2016, the second large-scale NATO military exercises hold in Georgia, opened on May 11, 2016. The declared purpose of the trainings was increasing the level of cooperation and interaction between Georgia and NATO for further participation of Georgian army in joint military campaigns.

The US tanks and infantry fighting vehicles have been transported to Georgia for the first time, while the number of military personnel of the USA and the Great Britain who arrived to Georgia exceeds much more the number of Georgian effectives involved in the trainings.

Systematic accumulation of NATO military power on territory of our neighboring state proceeds in a sign of refusal of Georgia to provide guarantees of non-use of force against the Republic of South Ossetia and the Republic of Abkhazia and in a sign of revanchist aspirations and irresponsible statements made by Georgian authorities.
Such political and military support rendered to Georgia by NATO member states and by the USA primarily is considered in South Ossetia as a new direct threat to the military-political situation in the region that, undoubtedly, would complicate the negotiation process at the Geneva discussions, the only available platform for discussions.

 

May 16, 2016, Tskhinval

 

16.05.2016