Tskhinvali Ready to Pullout Troops from Conflict Zone

South Ossetian de facto Deputy Defense Minister Ibragim Gasiyev said on November 16 that the Ossetian side is ready to withdraw its units from the conflict zone, Russian news agency Interfax reports.
 
?After aggravation of the situation in the summer, 500 servicemen were deployed in the outskirts of Tskhinvali [South Ossetian capital]. We are ready to take into account the proposal of Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Goga Khaindrava and redeploy these troops in the Java district,? Ibragim Gasiyev said.

The town of Java is located in the northern part of South Ossetia and lies outside the conflict zone. According to the 1992 ceasefire agreement the conflict zone covers the area within a 15-kilometer radius from the center of Tskhinvali. Only peacekeeping forces, made up of Russian, Georgian and Ossetian troops, may be deployed in the conflict zone.

An agreement, signed by Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania and South Ossetian de facto President Eduard Kokoev on November 5 in Sochi, envisages the demilitarization of the conflict zone before November 20.