TSKHINVALI. Dec 3 (Interfax-AVN) -- Major General Stanislav Nabzdorov, who has recently been appointed commander of the Mixed Peacekeeping Forces in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone, calls for stepping up cooperation between peacekeepers and law- enforcers of both conflicting parties.
Nabzdorov is working out corresponding proposals for the meeting in the coordination center of Georgian and South Ossetian law-enforcement bodies that is to be held in Tskhinvali in mid- December. Russian diplomats will be involved in the meeting, too.
The commander said that the criminal situation has deteriorated in the conflict zone, and there is a need to react to it on time to avoid its transformation into an armed conflict.
Nabzdorov is going to use the experience he collected when he was in command of the 201st motorized rifle division stationed in Tajikistan. "In fact, we had to accomplish peacekeeping missions there," he said.
Nabzdorov stressed that South Ossetian President Eduard Koikoty has already voiced his support of the commander's initiatives. Negotiations on cooperation with the Georgian Defense Ministry leadership are to take place in Tbilisi next week.
The Mixed Peacekeeping Forces were deployed in the conflict zone in 1992. They number some 1,000 servicemen.