S.Ossetia accuses OSCE of "provocation" in border trespass

Russian-backed South Ossetia accused the OSCE today of trying to stoke tensions, following an alleged border violation by observers from the Vienna-based group. South Ossetian police briefly detained two observers from the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe on Tuesday. S.Ossetia accuses OSCE of "provocation" in border trespass The OSCE, which has monitors posted in Georgia under a 1992 mandate, denied that its officials had entered South Ossetia. The South Ossetian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the OSCE's account of the incident is "totally unconvincing." "The specific circumstances, and systematic nature of such incidents can be considered a confirmation of our suspicions of deliberate provocations on the part of officials from the OSCE Mission to Georgia." In its account of Tuesday morning's incident, the OSCE said two unarmed monitors - one Hungarian and one Turkish national - were detained for two and a half hours near the village of Nikozi, in Georgia's Gori region. South Ossetia says they were caught near the village of Znaur, to the north of the border. The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, called the arrests "wholly unacceptable and unnecessarily", and said they "added to tensions in the region." The European security body currently has 20 military monitoring officers in Georgia. Another two of the observers were arrested near the South Ossetian border on February 10. The South Ossetian Foreign Ministry also reiterated criticism of the OSCE for its failure to prevent last summer's onslaught by Georgian forces seeking to seize control of the province, which had been de facto independent since the early 1990s. "The 'efforts' of the OSCE Mission in Georgia during the period leading up to Georgia's act of aggression against South Ossetia in August 2008 severely undermined the authority of this international organization," the statement said. After the conflict, Russia recognized South Ossetia, along with Abkhazia, as independent states. The European Union, which does not recognize the republics, continues to support the role of OSCE observers in South Ossetia. The Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union on Georgia said in a statement earlier this month: "The OSCE contributes to stability and security in the area and should continue to do so. We reiterate our strong support for all the efforts made by the Finnish and Greek Chairmanships aimed at preserving the OSCE presence in Georgia, including South Ossetia."

S.Ossetia accuses OSCE of "provocation" in border trespass

The OSCE, which has monitors posted in Georgia under a 1992 mandate, denied that its officials had entered South Ossetia.

The South Ossetian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the OSCE's account of the incident is "totally unconvincing."

"The specific circumstances, and systematic nature of such incidents can be considered a confirmation of our suspicions of deliberate provocations on the part of officials from the OSCE Mission to Georgia."

In its account of Tuesday morning's incident, the OSCE said two unarmed monitors - one Hungarian and one Turkish national - were detained for two and a half hours near the village of Nikozi, in Georgia's Gori region.

South Ossetia says they were caught near the village of Znaur, to the north of the border.

The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, called the arrests "wholly unacceptable and unnecessarily", and said they "added to tensions in the region."

The European security body currently has 20 military monitoring officers in Georgia. Another two of the observers were arrested near the South Ossetian border on February 10.

The South Ossetian Foreign Ministry also reiterated criticism of the OSCE for its failure to prevent last summer's onslaught by Georgian forces seeking to seize control of the province, which had been de facto independent since the early 1990s.

"The 'efforts' of the OSCE Mission in Georgia during the period leading up to Georgia's act of aggression against South Ossetia in August 2008 severely undermined the authority of this international organization," the statement said.

After the conflict, Russia recognized South Ossetia, along with Abkhazia, as independent states.

The European Union, which does not recognize the republics, continues to support the role of OSCE observers in South Ossetia.

The Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union on Georgia said in a statement earlier this month: "The OSCE contributes to stability and security in the area and should continue to do so. We reiterate our strong support for all the efforts made by the Finnish and Greek Chairmanships aimed at preserving the OSCE presence in Georgia, including South Ossetia."