TBILISI. Sept 29 (Interfax-AVN) - Georgian authorities are actively working to resolve the problem of the Akhalgori district of the Tskhinvali region, which is currently controlled by Russian and South Ossetian forces, Georgian Speaker David Bakradze said on Monday.
"We are discussing the deployment of European monitors in the Akhalgori district and the pullout of Russian forces and illegal South Ossetian armed units," he said.
"The Akhalgori district has nothing to do with the conflict zone, and the current presence of Russian forces and South Ossetian separatists in that area is illegal," he said.
The district located 60 kilometers away from Tbilisi was part of the former South Ossetian autonomous district in the Soviet era.
The Georgian media said that the district had always been populated by ethnic Georgians. However, Russian forces entered the district during the August events and Tskhinvali authorities sent their representatives to Akhalgori. They allegedly told local residents that the area had passed under control of South Ossetia and the residents would be evicted if they refused to waive Georgian naturalization.