TBILISI. Oct 21 (Interfax-AVN) - A meeting of the cochairmen of the Joint Control Commission for the Georgian-Ossetian conflict ended at the Russian Embassy in Tbilisi on Wednesday evening.
They discussed the cease-fire efforts of the sides, further stabilization of the situation in the conflict zone, the upcoming meeting of Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania with South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity, and the economic rehabilitation of the conflict area.
Russian cochairman Valery Kinyaikin told reporters that the situation in the conflict zone remains tense, with continuing exchanges of fire. He said the fact that peacekeepers are becoming targets for attacks is alarming.
South Ossetian cochairman Boris Chochiyev told reporters that two peacekeepers were killed, the first time in 14 years that this had happened. "It is unimportant that they were Ossetians. The main thing is that they were peacekeepers," he said.
Georgian cochairman and Separatist Conflicts Minister Giorgi Khaindrava said that any provocation against the peacekeepers in the conflict zone is impermissible and an investigation will establish the culprits.
"Such provocation acts against the peacekeepers are staged by individuals who are trying to undermine the peace talks to settle the Georgian-Ossetian conflict," he said.