EUMM Statement on ‘Border Demarcation’ Claims
Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 1 Oct.'10 / 20:24

EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) said its observers failed to find evidence of so called “border demarcation” activities in four out of five villages at the South Ossetian administrative border, which Tbilisi claims were affected by the Russian troops “provocative” actions.

The Georgian Interior Ministry said on September 29, that the Russian troops in the breakaway region were conducting “illegal ‘border demarcation works’ in Shida Kartli region”, particularly in the villages of Kvemo Nikozi, Zemo Nikozi, Ditsi, Arbo and Kordi.

“The [EUMM] patrols have so far found 4 improvised steel markers in the ground at Ditsi, close to the Administrative Boundary Line, but were unable to find any further evidence of ‘demarcation’ activities in the other areas. The Mission is keeping the situation under review,” EUMM said in a statement on October 1. "If proved part of a policy aimed at unilateral demarcation, these activities would not be acceptable as they would be undermining Georgian territorial integrity."

Meanwhile, Boris Chochiev, a special envoy of the breakaway South Ossetia’s leader for post-conflict resolution issues, said that Tskhinvali was carry out demarcation works in line of Soviet-times borders of former Autonomous District of South Ossetia. He, however, said that the Russian troops stationed in the region had nothing to do with these activities.

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