The European Union Monitoring Mission is concerned about the potentially destabilising incident that occurred on 24th September near Khurcha at the Abkhaz Administrative Boundary Line. Locals had reported that Russian Border Guards had detained a few people from a minibus and confiscated goods.
Georgian Special Police officers responded to a call for assistance from the local population. Four Russian Border Guards were detained by Georgian police, and taken to the Regional Police Station in Zugdidi.
Following discussions between the Russian and Georgian authorities, under the auspices of the EUMM, the Russian Border Guards were released and the situation is now calm.
EUMM patrols were on the scene in Khurcha and were invited by the Russians to view the site where they claim the detention took place. An EUMM patrol was also present at the subsequent release of the Russian Border Guards. The Mission was able to speak to both the Russian and Georgian authorities to obtain information about the incident as it unfolded.
The EUMM has so far been unable to determine the exact location of this incident although it is clear it was extremely close to the administrative boundary line.
Whatever the exact location, what took place today had the potential to escalate into a serious incident. The EUMM will therefore take up this incident at the next Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism meeting in Gali on 8 October. The aggressive attitude of some Georgian media towards the Russian Border Guards as shown on TV was unacceptable; they are entitled to be protected by the Georgian law enforcement agencies. EUMM urges all sides to continue to show restraint and to ensure that such an incident does not occur again.
Georgian Special Police officers responded to a call for assistance from the local population. Four Russian Border Guards were detained by Georgian police, and taken to the Regional Police Station in Zugdidi.
Following discussions between the Russian and Georgian authorities, under the auspices of the EUMM, the Russian Border Guards were released and the situation is now calm.
EUMM patrols were on the scene in Khurcha and were invited by the Russians to view the site where they claim the detention took place. An EUMM patrol was also present at the subsequent release of the Russian Border Guards. The Mission was able to speak to both the Russian and Georgian authorities to obtain information about the incident as it unfolded.
The EUMM has so far been unable to determine the exact location of this incident although it is clear it was extremely close to the administrative boundary line.
Whatever the exact location, what took place today had the potential to escalate into a serious incident. The EUMM will therefore take up this incident at the next Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism meeting in Gali on 8 October. The aggressive attitude of some Georgian media towards the Russian Border Guards as shown on TV was unacceptable; they are entitled to be protected by the Georgian law enforcement agencies. EUMM urges all sides to continue to show restraint and to ensure that such an incident does not occur again.
