Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TBILISI1181
2007-05-21 12:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tbilisi
Cable title:  

SOUTH OSSETIA SHOOTOUT MAY 19

Tags:  PGOV PREL OSCE GG 
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O 211256Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6396
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS TBILISI 001181

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DEPT FOR EUR DAS BRYZA AND EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL OSCE GG
SUBJECT: SOUTH OSSETIA SHOOTOUT MAY 19

REF: TBILISI 1168 AND PREVIOUS

(SBU) OSCE Deputy Head of Mission Veselin Nikolaev confirmed
to us May 20 that a three-hour exchange of fire had occurred
in the South Ossetian conflict zone May 19, lasting from 2000
to 2300 local time. Nikolaev said the incident was in a
usual place: between the South Ossetian asphalt factory south
of Tskhinvali and the Georgian positions in Ergneti. He said
the South Ossetians had provoked the incident, and the
Georgians then returned fire, including with RPGs. Two South
Ossetians were injured, including a woman who was briefly
hospitalized when she was hit in the foot by a ricochet.
Neither injury was serious. Comment: This incident appears
to both OSCE and us to be similar to others in a long series
of shootouts on the southern outskirts of Tskhinvali. At
present it does not seem to be a renewal of the more serious
violence precipitated by the South Ossetians a week earlier,
on the weekend of May 12-13. End Comment.

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