Georgia Says No South Ossetia Meeting On Agenda

(RFE/RL) 8 December 2005 -- Tbilisi has thwarted a Russian proposal to hold an emergency meeting of the Joint Control Commission (JCC), which is responsible for monitoring the 1992 cease-fire agreement between Georgia and its separatist republic of South Ossetia.

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on 7 December saying the session would take place on 8 December in the South Ossetian capital, Tskhinvali. But Georgia's chief negotiator Giorgi Khaindrava said he had not been notified of Russia's plans and that he had no intention of going to Tskhinvali today.

The JCC comprises representatives of Georgia, South Ossetia, Russia, and the Russian republic of North Ossetia.

Russia has said that it expected the meeting to focus on ways to decrease recent tensions in the region. The past few days have seen Georgia and South Ossetia accusing each other of arresting officials, policemen and civilians in the conflict zone.

(Prime News/Novosti-Gruziya/Civil Georgia)