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South Ossetia views Georgia’s actions on border as direct threat

The republic's leadership vowed to take all relevant countermeasures if necessary

TSKHINVAL, August 28. /TASS/. South Ossetia views Georgia’s recent actions along the common border as a direct threat to its security, the republic’s Foreign Ministry said on its website on Wednesday.

According to the document, South Ossetia is concerned by the increasing presence of Georgian servicemen along the entire length of the common border. The Georgian military have been deployed to ensure the illegal construction of a fortified area near the village of Uista (former Tsnelis) in the Znauri district, crossing onto the territory of South Ossetia, the ministry said.

"The ministry of Foreign Affairs views Georgia’s steps as a manifestation of a direct threat to the people of South Ossetia and says that in the case of further escalation of tensions and exacerbation of the situation, all relevant countermeasures will be taken to defend the territorial integrity of the republic of South Ossetia and ensure the security of its citizens," the statement reads.

"In this respect, South Ossetia sends to the EU Observer Mission in Georgia and to co-chairmen of the Geneva Discussions on security in Caucasus its warning about a real threat of a new armed conflict and further escalation of the situation, and requests all participants of the Georgian-Ossetian peace settlement process to exert due pressure on the Georgian side in order to stop further provocative actions," the ministry said.

The ministry said that the 2008 act of Georgia’s military aggression against South Ossetia was preceded by construction of Georgian military fortifications along the entire length of the border, about which OSCE observers preferred to stay silent. According to South Ossetia, the EU observer mission currently in Georgia demonstrates a similar approach.

"South Ossetia strongly demands all Georgian military formations be immediately withdrawn and all illegal construction be immediately stopped. Otherwise, the current Georgian government and its Western curators will bear full responsibility for all possible consequences of this deliberate process to fuel tensions," the South Ossetian Foreign Ministry said.

The republic’s president, Anatoly Bibilov, tasked South Ossetian servicemen to deploy additional posts in the border zone near the village of Uista. Armored vehicles have been conducting regular patrol missions along the frontier.

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