"The situation in the conflict zone is extremely involved and suspense-laden. Each side is piling accusations on the other. We have to find a way out," he said to newsmen in Tbilisi after talks with Georgy Khaindrava, Georgia's State Minister for Conflict Settlement.
"We have to blueprint moves that will promote settlement. The Tskhinvali agenda will concern all issues-in particular, prospects to release Georgian soldiers detained in South Ossetia, and Georgian-seized missiles. We have to prevent a big war-that matters more than anything else," Mr. Mironov went on.
Georgy Khaindrava and spokesmen of the Georgian army and law enforcement agencies are also determined to go to Tskhinvali today, reports Georgia's State Chancellery.
An understanding has been made in the South Osset capital to set up a tripartite patrol force for the conflict zone. The peacekeeping force will represent Russia, Georgia and North Ossetia-Russia's North Caucasian autonomy, whose population makes an ethnic Osset majority. Russian peacekeepers will assign units to keep in check Georgian areas which South Ossets are shooting at, says Alexander Kiknadze, in command of a Georgian peacekeeping battalion deployed in the conflict zone.
Russian and North Osset peacekeepers stationed in the vicinity of Georgia's village Eredvi, which hosts a Russian peacekeeping base, have been reinforced. A Georgian-North Osset mobile crew is to appear at the Eredvi base, he told the media.
The Shida Kartli district police (Georgia's Gori District) informed Novosti about current work to establish a coordination centre to be based in Eredvi on order of Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili. Irakli Okruashvili, Georgian Interior Minister, will be permanently there. The centre will coordinate all Russian, Georgian and South Osset army and law enforcement efforts to prevent fighting.
President Saakashvili ordered Ghela Bezhuashvili, Georgia's National Security Council Secretary, to fly to Moscow tomorrow, Monday July 12. A delegation to accompany him will discuss the road to detente and conflict settlement by peaceful means, says Mr. Bezhuashvili.
President Saakashvili earlier intended him to depart for Moscow yesterday, as he announced to a news briefing in Tbilisi the same day. Bezhuashvili was to meet at the negotiation table with his Russian counterpart-Igor Ivanov, federal Security Council Secretary.
More peacekeeping outposts have appeared in the South Osset part of the conflict zone, the joint peacekeeping HQ reported to Novosti on the telephone. The soldiers will protect Ossets in case of armed clashes, said a headquarters officer on duty.
Richard Miles, U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Georgia, hopes Lev Mironov will promote the peace cause. America is anxious to see the conflict settled by political means, the diplomat said to newsmen after conference with Zurab Zhvania, Georgian Prime Minister.
South Ossetia is fortifying approaches to Tskhinvali, the Georgian-based MZE television reported yesterday. It cast footages of heavy military technologies concentrated in the city vicinity-in particular, several infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers and anti-aircraft installations. Trenches, pillboxes and dugouts are being built. The MZE also showed a sniper crew.
"Tskhinvali may be a small town-yet it is our own town, part and parcel of Georgia, and no one will take it away," said President Saakashvili as he was addressing the Defense Ministry's National Academy leavers yesterday.
Peacekeepers have been present in the conflict zone ever since 1992. The conflict was at its peak in 1989-92 as Georgia deprived South Ossetia of autonomy and took tough punitive action after the republic hit back by proclaiming autonomy. The conflict is now going from bad to worse with every passing day.
