TSKHINVALI. Oct 15 (Interfax-AVN) - At OSCE-run talks of authorized delegations on the settlement of the aftereffects of the armed conflict of 1989-1992, held in the Hague, the Netherlands, South Ossetia has refused to discuss its status as part of Georgia.
Interfax-Military News Agency learned that on Wednesday from a source close to Boris Chochiyev, minister without portfolio of the unrecognized republic and head of the South Ossetian delegation to the Netherlands.
"The OSCE and Georgian delegations suggested discussing status issues, while the South Ossetian chief said that status- related issues could be subject to neither discussion nor talks, because as far back as in 1990 South Ossetia had proclaimed itself as an independent state," the source said.
The South Ossetian delegation, the source went on, said it abided by only peaceful settlement but insisted on a legal appraisal of the 1989-1992 genocide of Ossetians and the continuing violation of the rights of the Ossetian population in Georgia.
According to the source, the South Ossetian delegation is ready to discuss refugee problems as well as strengthening confidence in and stepping up the economic recovery of the conflict area.
The talks in the Netherlands, currently the OSCE chair, will be completed on Friday.
The Georgian party of the talks is headed by Irakly Machavariani, the presidential envoy on conflict settlement.
Russia's mediatorship is represented by Ambassador at Large of the Foreign Ministry Mikhail Mayorov.