TBILISI. May 19 (Interfax) - The Georgian Foreign Ministry has blamed Russia for the shooting incident near the Georgian village of Chalvani.
"We would like to remind you that the Tskhinvali puppet regime is still keeping up to 10 local residents in illegal custody despite international demands for their release. The Russian Federation, as the country of occupation, is fully responsible for the May 18 incident and the situation of the detainees in Tskhinvali," the ministry said on Wednesday.
Tbilisi views "such provocative acts" as a "a flagrant violation" of the ceasefire agreement and international legal norms and principles.
The ministry urged Russia to immediately start the fulfillment of its ceasefire commitments and to take practical and efficient steps towards the investigation and prevention of terror acts and similar incidents.
"May an international legal commitment to the non-use of force against Georgia and the admission of international peacekeepers and police force to the occupied territories be the first serious step," the ministry said.
It was reported earlier that South Ossetian border guards fired shots while detaining Georgian nationals who had illegally crossed into South Ossetia.
"Unidentified gunmen opened fire at a border guard patrol to free those already detained. The assailants were scattered with return fire. They fled to Georgia," South Ossetia's State Security Committee (KGB) told Interfax.
Four of them were detained, among them a minor. "They are being questioned. The minor will be handed over to Georgian law enforcement services in accordance with the established procedure," it said.