RUSSIA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY EXPECTS GEORGIA TO ABSTAIN FROM ACTIONS DESTABILIZING SITUATION IN SOUTH OSSETIA

MOSCOW, July 19 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Foreign Ministry expects Georgia to comply with the agreements reached at the Moscow session of the Mixed Supervising Commission "to avoid any actions and statements, which could destabilize the situation in the conflict zone", the Russian Foreign Ministry's Information and Press Department told RIA Novosti in response to its request to comment on the Georgian president's "night visit" to the conflict zone and his recent statements.

Russia's Foreign Ministry emphasized that the situation in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone remained tensive.

"Unfortunately, the decisions of the Mixed Supervising Commission's session (Moscow, July 14-15 this year) on withdrawal of the illegal armed groups are not complied with. South Ossetia witnesses skirmishes, which may entail casualties", the Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out.

In the Russian Foreign Ministry's opinion, in this situation the said Georgian president's visit to the conflict zone without notifying the South Ossetian side hardly contributed to normalizing the situation.

The Department reminded the audience that the Protocol of the Mixed Supervising Commission's recent session stressed the need "to avoid any actions and statements, which could destabilize the situation in the conflict zone".

"We hope that Tbilisi realizes the importance of the agreements reached in Moscow and will strictly adhere to them", emphasized the Russian Foreign Ministry.