South Ossetian Side Wants to Expel OSCE Tskhinvali Office Head

Special Affairs Minister of breakaway South Ossetian Boris Chochiev told Rustavi 2 television that the South Ossetian side demands expulsion of Bulgarian diplomat Gancho Ganchev, who heads the OSCE office in the capital of unrecognized republic Tskhinvali.

?The South Ossetian side considers assessments made by him [Gancho Ganchev] as biased,? Boris Chochiev said.

The Georgian side has already described Tskhinvalis?s demands as ?a continuation of Russia?s pressure on OSCE.? Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Goga Khaindrava said that Tskhinvali, with Russia?s backing, tries to hamper OSCE monitoring process in the conflic zone.

However, South Ossetian de facto Special Affairs Minister Boris Chochiev said that Tskhinvali insists on Gancho Ganchev?s expulsion and does not demand closure of the OSCE?s office in Tskhinvali.

The OSCE branch office in Tskhinvali, which became operational in 1997, helps to gather information on the military situation in the conflict zone, as well as examines violations of the cease-fire agreement.