Another Meeting Held in Ergneti Over Disputed Police Checkpoint

Security officials from Tbilisi, Tskhinvali and Russian Federation held the fourth “technical meeting” in village Ergneti, near the occupation line with Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia on September 13 over the disputed Georgian police checkpoint close to occupation line in Chorchana-Tsnelisi area.

Following the meeting, Deputy Director of the Analytical Department of the State Security Service of Georgia, Irakli Antadze, stated that positions over the checkpoint, located between the Chorchana village in Tbilisi-controlled Khashuri Municipality and Tsnelisi village controlled by occupied Tskhinvali region, remain “diametrically opposed.”

Reiterating that the Georgian checkpoint “will continue functioning in ordinary manner,” Antadze said it aims to ensure “secure environment on the ground.” He also said that at the meeting, the officials from Tbilisi demanded from Tskhinvali to halt “illegal activities” on Tbilisi-controlled territory. According to Antadze, no consensus has been achieved, but negotiations will continue.

On his part, Tskhinvali representative Egor Kochiev told local media that the region’s position remains unchanged and that the Georgian checkpoint “should be dismantled.”

No deal was made on reopening crossing points, connecting the region with the rest of Georgia as well.

According to Irakli Antadze, the closure of crossing points is a purely humanitarian issue,” which affects everyday lives of the people living on both sides of occupation line, as well as the security environment on the ground.

Protesting the construction of the Georgian checkpoint in late August, the Moscow-backed Tskhinvali representatives demanded Tbilisi to immediately remove the checkpoint, threatening use of “all legal measures” at their disposal.

The situation was defused somewhat, as the decision was reached to hold the “technical meeting.” However, following the unanimous denial from Tbilisi to dismantle the checkpoint, in Tit-for-Tat move Tskhinvali started works to “mark the border” in Chorchana-Tsnelisi area, by placing “border signs” and their flag on Tbilisi-controlled territory west of Tsnelisi village on height 944.8m.

11/09/2019 – Security Service: Occupation Forces Carry out “Illegal Works” on Tbilisi-Controlled Territory

10/09/2019 – Tskhinvali Accuses Tbilisi of “Provoking Crisis,” Closes Crossing Points

07/09/2019 – OSCE Group of Friends Concerned over ‘Continued Occupation’ of Georgia

31/08/2019 – Russia Concerned by ‘Escalation of Tension’ near Occupation Line

30/08/2019 – Georgian Officials Say Situation around Disputed Police Checkpoint ‘Stable’

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