A meeting between Georgian, Russian and South Ossetian representatives on October 28 aimed at ascertaining the facts and visiting the area where 16 Georgians were arrested on Sunday and who still remain held in the breakaway region, EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia said.

The 16 men were arrested by the Russian border guards, stationed in the breakaway region, for “violation of the South Ossetian border.”

During the meeting in which EUMM representatives also participated, all the participants accepted that it was likely that some of the 16 men crossed the administrative boundary line by less than 100 meters and in all probability between 30 to 50 meters.
 
“Although different versions of the event were voiced, it was universally agreed that there was no malicious intent to cross the Administrative Boundary Line on the part of the woodcutters,” EUMM said.

“There was also consensus that any action taken against these individuals would be of an administrative rather than of a criminal nature and that there was no need for further investigation.”

EUMM also said that it was a conclusion of the meeting that there was a need for increased cooperation between the local police in Dusheti district, neighboring with the breakaway region’s Akhalgori district, where the incident occurred, and the Russian Border Guards.

“The South-Ossetian and Georgian forestry departments in the area would exchange information to prevent further incidents of this nature occurring,” EUMM said.

“EUMM considers that the detainees should be released at the earliest possible opportunity and that this incident should be used as an occasion to elaborate a broader framework to facilitate cross-boundary activities for the local population.”

It also said that the agreement was reached that the South Ossetian authorities would have informed by 7pm on October 28 on further action to be taken by them in this case, involving detained 16 men and the Russian border guards requested that “no media release would take place prior to that time.”

Shortly after the meeting Cesar Chocheli, governor of Mtskheta-Mtianeti region, who participated in the meeting, along with the Georgian senior interior ministry official, told journalists that crossing of the administrative boundary line by the Georgian citizens was not confirmed.

And the de factor South Ossetian authorities posted information on their website after the meeting that it was confirmed that the 16 men “significantly went deep into the South Ossetian territory.” According to this report the South Ossetian side offered the Georgian officials and EUMM representatives to sign a protocol, reflecting the fact of crossing the administrative border line, but refused to do so on the grounds that they were not authorized to sign any documents.