"Recent days have seen mounting tensions in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone. Accords reached at the session of the mixed control commission in Moscow on September 30-October 2 this year are not being performed," says the communique.
"Russia is particularly concerned over a series of provocative attacks on peace-keepers that have been perpetrated for the first time over the entire period of the peace-keeping operation. The fire assaults have resulted in the death of two Ossetian servicemen and the injury of six servicemen from the Russian, Ossetian and Georgian contingents," reports the Russian foreign ministry.
"The recent incident in the zone of the conflict boiled down to illicit detainment by Georgian security officers of wounded Ossetian peace-keepers and accompanying persons and their placement at the security ministry's detention cells in Tbilisi. It has been revealed after their release that they were subject to physical violence. This is gross infringement on the agreements concerning Georgian-Ossetian conflict," notes the Russian foreign ministry.
"These are attempts to intimidate peace-keepers, to undermine their mission in accordance with obligations under international law. This policy can lead to another burst of violence in the conflict zone and aggravate the already grim situation in the region," says the communique.
"Expressing resolute protest against the attacks on the peace-keepers, the Russian foreign ministry declares that the Russian side reserves the right to take action to protect their lives and honour," says the document.
"We are expecting the sides in the conflict to give their assessment of the illegal action against the peace-keepers, to carry out effective investigation into the incidents and to take measures to prevent such outrages in the future," says the Russian foreign ministry.
