TSKHINVALI. June 3 (Interfax-AVN) - South Ossetia's authorities confirmed on Tuesday that they are taking appropriate moves to put an end to unauthorized flights by Georgian helicopters over the republic's territory.
"Georgia has not responded to the South Ossetian Foreign Ministry's concerns over this issue," Foreign Minister Murad Dzhioyev told Interfax-Military News Agency.
"Last time, Georgian helicopters flew over a number of strategic facilities in the Tskhinvali and Znauri districts at an altitude of 30-40 meters, which is absolutely unacceptable," Dzhioyev said.
"In case new violations of South Ossetia's airspace are committed, helicopters will be shut down," he stressed.
Tskhinvali considers such flights to be "provocative acts aimed at destabilizing the situation and capable of affecting the peaceful settlement process," the minister noted.
Accordingto Dzhioyev, "South Ossetia has called on the parties to the negotiating process, the OSCE and the command of the Mixed Peacekeeping Forces to hold consultations with the Tbilisi authorities once again and persuade them to stop unsanctioned flights over the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone."