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South Ossetia's sovereignty confirmed by Russia state border treaty — president

One of the points in the treaty on alliance and integration envisages cancellation of customs and border barriers which makes it necessary to strengthen South Ossetia’s border with Georgia

South Ossetian President Leonid Tibilov ITAR-TASS/Mikhail Klimentyev

South Ossetian President Leonid Tibilov

© ITAR-TASS/Mikhail Klimentyev

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South Ossetia fears that Georgia may attack again — foreign minister

TSKHINVAL, February 19. /TASS/. By signing state border treaty with South Ossetia, Russia has "once again confirmed its geopolitical course toward the republic which it sees as a sovereign independent state," South Ossetian President Leonid Tibilov told TASS on Thursday.

One of the points in the treaty on alliance and integration, which will be signed by Russia and South Ossetia, envisages cancellation of customs and border barriers, Tibilov noted. This makes it necessary to strengthen South Ossetia’s border with Georgia, he added.

"Russia will take responsibility for technical equipment of the border between South Ossetia and Georgia along the entire perimeter," the president stressed.

On February 18, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his South Ossetian counterpart David Sanakoev signed a state border treaty. The agreement is a result of joint work on delimitation of the state border between the two countries, which was started in 2010. The border is set along the Main Caucasian Ridge.

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Russia, South Ossetia sign state border treaty

Agreement doesn't envisage accession

Agreement on alliance and integration does not envisage South Ossetia’s accession to Russia, South Ossetian Foreign Minister David Sanakoev told a press conference in TASS on Wednesday.

"The agreement does not envisage South Ossetia’s accession to the Russian Federation, it envisages absolutely different aspects of cooperation," Sanakoev said. "They are, first of all, security, defense capabilities, social sphere development and economic development," he stressed.

Georgia in NATO not to facilitate stability

Russia and South Ossetia agree that "dragging" Georgia into NATO will not facilitate stability in Transcaucasia, Lavrov said on Wednesday after a meeting with his South Ossetian counterpart David Sanakoev.

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Georgia claims NATO ties have no goal of deploying alliance’s military infrastructure

"We discussed cooperation on the international arena and participation of our countries in the Geneva discussions on Transcaucasia," Lavrov said.

"We confirmed that it is necessary to sign binding agreements on non-use of force that would prevent the repetition of 2008 events," the foreign minister stressed.

"This task is particularly relevant in the framework of continuing process of dragging Tbilisi into NATO," Lavrov said. "We agree [with South Ossetia] that it will not facilitate efforts on strengthening security in Transcaucasia," he added.

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Georgia South Ossetia

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