"No party to the conflict has thus far doubted the wisdom of the mixed peace force's continued stay there," said Valery Kenyaikin, Russia's Ambassador at Large who is heading the Mixed Control Commission for the settlement of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict.
Kenyaikin said the situation there has deteriorated, blaming the May 29 and June 6 clashes that killed four South Ossetian military officers and a Georgian police officer. Four Georgian villagers were also reported missing after the clashes.
"Commissions were set up to investigate the incidents. However, no satisfactory results were produced as of yet. The missing individuals were not found," Kenyaikin said.
Kenyaikin said those incidents and further unfavorable developments could spark off new ethnic tensions and an armed conflict.
"Therefore, a decision was adopted to hold an extraordinary commission meeting, the second one this month, and invite senior interior ministry officials from the countries involved to attend," he said.
Kenyaikin said Georgia would send Deputy Interior Minister Amiran Meskheli. Interior Minister Mikhail Mirzoyev will represent South Ossetia. The interior ministries of Russia and North Ossetia, a Russian republic neighboring South Ossetia, will also send representatives.
Kenyaikin said they planned to discuss measures to demilitarize the conflict zone. Russia and Georgia signed a bilateral agreement on the matter in 2000.
