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Georgia

Georgia: Information on signing the joint declaration by the President of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania and President of the self-proclaimed Republic of South Ossetia

On September 18 2005, President Taimuraz Mamsurov of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania and President Eduard Kokoity of the self-proclaimed republic of South Ossetia, 'in a spirit of maintaining united Ossetia', signed a joint declaration on the intention to enhance the legislative basis of bilateral relations between the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania and the Republic of South Ossetia.

Taking into account the fact that the Russian side bears full responsibility for any action of its executive authorities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia estimated the act of the North Ossetian Leader as the Russian side's unfriendly step aimed towards intensification of separatism in the region.

In this connection, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia sent a Note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation expressing a firm protest and insisting that urgent measures be taken for the prevention of the acts, which may lead to a drastic exacerbation of the situation in the conflict zone and heighten tension in the Georgian-Russian relations.