Saakashvili: Armed Conflict Avoided in South Ossetia

President Saakashvili told reporters before his departure to London on July 12, that Georgia ?avoided an armed conflict? in breakaway South Ossetia.

?Due to coordinated activities by the Georgian government, international support and because of frequent contact with Russia and the United States, Georgia has avoided the bloody conflict which [de facto South Ossetian President] Kokoev and his backers in Russia wanted to launch,? Mikheil Saakashvili said, while speaking at the Tbilisi airport on July 12.

He said that the security of the Georgian villages in the breakaway region is ensured.

President Saakashvili hailed the Georgian intelligence service and said that the Georgian side has ?exact information regarding how many weapons and how many fighters were dispatched to South Ossetia from Russia.?

?At the moment, around 190 armed persons, who are criminals, are stationed in the Java district [of South Ossetia]. They infiltrated into the region from [neighboring Russia?s] North Ossetia. But they do not pose any threat to us,? Mikheil Saakashvili said.

He reiterated that reintegration of South Ossetia into Georgia ?is only a matter of time.? ?The most important thing is that we avoided a renewal of the armed conflict,? he added.

?At the moment, only Tskhinvali, Java and Kvaisi districts are controlled by the separatists. These regions will be integrated back into Georgia,? the President added.