EU Envoy Visits South Ossetia

The European Union?s Special Representative for the South Caucasus, Heikki Talvitie, met with South Ossetian de facto President Edward Kokoev in the capital of the self-styled Republic, Tskhinvali, on July 5. 
 
EU-funded projects for the restoration of the railway link between South Ossetia and the rest of Georgia as well as the repatriation of the refugees and IDPs into the region were discussed during the Tskinvali talks.

?My point was that they [authorities in South Ossetia] should respect Georgia?s territorial integrity, but still make their own way of life there. There should be a compromise between these two very valuable principles ? territorial integrity of Georgia and self-determination of the Ossetian people,? EU?s Special Envoy Heikki Talvitie told Civil Georgia on July 6.

He hailed the Georgian government?s initiative over the distribution of humanitarian aid among the South Ossetian population.

?But they [authorities in South Ossetia] are very much afraid. They do not have much trust towards the Georgian aid,? Mr. Talvitie added.