Incident between Tbilisi and Tskhinvali Should not Lead to Military Conflict: Assistant to US Secretary of State

Azerbaijan, Baku, 5 July / Trend corr A.Gasimova/ Washington calls on Tbilisi and Tskhinvali not to yield to provocations and not to continue further military confrontation, which can lead to tragic consequences. "Yesterday's violence in South Ossetia must not lead the sides to an armed conflict," Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Bryza said to Trend on 5 July.

In the early morning of 4 July, a skirmish at the contact line between Georgian and South-Ossetian positions in Znauri and Tskhinvali regions killed two and injured up to ten people. Ossetia blames Georgia for initiating the skirmish in Tskhinvali, and Georgia blames South Ossetia for initiating a skirmish in Georgian villages located nearby Tskhinvali.

According to Bryza, an attempt on the head of South Ossetia's temporary administration Dmitry Sanakoev reflects that "some forces try to do their utmost to destabilize the situation in Georgia". "Such actions are imprudent and can turn out to be tragic for both sides of the Caucasus Mountains," Bryza said.

Georgia states that on 3 July the car in which the acting head of the South Ossetia Administration Dmirti Sanakoyev was going to the international conference in Batumi blew up in mine and was fired from the nearby villages. The guards retaliated. The shooting lasted several minutes after which two guards were hospitalized in Gori. Sanakayev was not wounded.

"We call on all parties to refrain from violence and to call on foreign forces to end their dangerous provocations," Bryza said.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia, former parts of Georgia SSR, declared their independence after demise of USSR. Unsuccessful talks are being held following the armed conflict that deprived Tbilisi of the control over these territories. They have been striving for recognition of their independence while Georgia considers them to be its constituent part and offers them a large autonomy.

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