U.S. supports OSCE mission’s return to Georgia

The U.S. supports the OSCE observation mission’s return to Georgia, the U.S. State Department representative Mark Toner said at a briefing held in Washington. According to Toner, the OSCE mission’s work in place will guarantee security, which will contribute to easing tensions.

He also said that the OSCE observation mission is responsible to observe and determine whether Russia fulfils a ceasefire agreement. Toner confirmed the White House’s position that the Russian armed forces should be returned to the place of dislocation, take up by them before the August war.

Military actions were launched in the unrecognized republic of South Ossetia in August 2008. Georgian troops entered Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia and later Russian troops occupied the city and drove the Georgian military back to Georgia. Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on Aug. 26 and established diplomatic relations with them on Sept. 9, 2008.

Toner also responded to the attack on the Parliament of Chechnya. He said the United States is concerned about violence in the North Caucasus and closely monitors developments in the region.