Council of Europe (CoE) Human Rights Commissioner, Thomas Hammarberg, said after talks in Tskhinvali late on Thursday evening that talks on release of detainees were still continuing and were “on critical stage.”

“The only thing I can say is that talks go on; there is no finalization of the talks; we have to continue. I decided not to make any detailed comments, because that might disturb the continued negotiations. I continue, I am not giving up,” he told journalists in the village of Ergneti at breakaway South Ossetia’s administrative border.

“It is very important that no one makes irresponsible statements or reports in the media now, because we are at the critical stage,” he added.

Hammarberg said that he did not intend to again visit Tskhinvali on December 18, but added that contacts would continue “via phone.”

Without giving any specific dates, South Ossetian leader, Eduard Kokoity, told Hammarberg in Tskhinvali earlier on Thursday that he would “resolve” the issue of two detained Georgian minors from the village of Tirdznisi “soon”, but not “today” and not against the background of “pressure” from the Georgian leadership.