( Civil Georgia ) - Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Merab Antadze and South Ossetian Deputy Prime Minister Boris Chochiev hold talks in Tskhinvali on May 7, the Georgian State Minister's press office reported.
The negotiators are discussing issues related to the preparation of a session of the quadripartite negotiating body, Joint Control Commission (JCC), involving the Georgian, South Ossetian, Russian and Russia's North Ossetian sides.
A recent informal, consultative session of the JCC was held in Tskhinvali on April 19, but it failed to yield results. The reduction in the number of checkpoints in South Ossetia proved to be the sticking point for the South Ossetian side. The Georgian side refused to reduce the number and negotiations consequently broke off.
U.S. State Secretary Condoleezza Rice earlier said Russia's worries over the U.S. missile defense plans in Central Europe are "ludicrous," adding that Russia should respect the CFE treaty.
"These are treaty obligations and everyone is expected to live up to them," Rice told journalists.