Russian Parliament Concerned Over Developments in Ossetia

Russia?s State Duma, the lower house of the parliament, passed on a statement on June 2 condemning recent steps taken by the Georgian authorities in the South Ossetian conflict zone.

The statement reads that Georgia?s decision to deploy additional forces to the conflict zone on May 31 ?was a demonstration of force.?

The Russian lawmakers claim that the recent events ?place doubts over the sincerity of the Georgian leadership’s intent to resolve the South Ossetia and Abkhazia problems peacefully.?

On May 31, around 300 Georgian soldiers, all internal troops, were sent to the conflict zone to, as Tbilisi put it, ?protect police checkpoints? which were set up to combat widely spread smuggling in the region.

Thre Russian Foreign Ministry also condemned the move and accused Tbilisi of triggering tensions through ?provocative steps.?