MOSCOW. July 8 (Interfax-AVN) - Chairman of the Duma International Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachyov is concerned about the situation in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone.
"Unfortunately, the situation is developing in the worst possible way, and Tbilisi's actions may have a negative effect on the Georgian-Ossetian settlement," Kosachyov told Interfax on Thursday.
He said he is perplexed by Georgia's criticism of peacekeepers stationed in the conflict zone, as "there is no Russian contingent (in the conflict zone - Interfax), just a peacekeeping force of the Mixed Control Commission."
"I have much less complaints against South Ossetia, because it has never doubted the importance and necessity of the Mixed Control Commission in responding to Tbilisi's conduct. But Georgia does, and is promoting transforming the conflict into hostilities, the same as happened before 1992," Kosachyov said.
"Georgian law-enforcement agencies have obviously gone outside the boundary of law in the safety zone. The capture of a Russian peacekeeping motorcade and the confiscation of armaments run counter to every agreement," says a statement by Chairman of the Federation Council International Affairs Committee Mikhail Margelov received by Interfax on Thursday.
"Now Russia has to provide escorts for motorcades, and hostile sentiments is mounting in South Ossetia. South Ossetia's responsive measure, including the capture of a Georgian battalion, are impermissible from the point of view of regional peacekeeping," the statement says.