OSCE-JPKF JOINT PATROL COMES UNDER FIRE TRYING TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L TBILISI 001296

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV GG
SUBJECT: OSCE-JPKF JOINT PATROL COMES UNDER FIRE TRYING TO
INVESTIGATE SHOOTING INCIDENT

REF: TBILISI 1170

Classified By: Ambassador John F. Tefft, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary and comment: Two OSCE-Joint Peacekeeping
Forces (JPKF) monitoring patrols were denied access to two
separate incident sites in the breakaway region of South
Ossetia on July 28 and 29, with one patrol coming under
direct fire. A firefight erupted near the village of
Cholibauri, approximately 7 km southwest of Tskhinvali on the
evening of July 28. No injuries were reported; however, when
a joint OSCE-JPKF monitoring patrol arrived to investigate,
the patrol was turned away by armed South Ossetian militia.
The patrol returned a second time and were again forced to
withdraw by the South Ossetian militia, who fired warning
shots in the air. A separate joint patrol was traveling to
investigate a firefight that took place in the early morning
of July 29 near the villages of Andzisi and Sveri when it
came under fire by unknown assailants. OSCE monitors
reported that the patrol was targeted by small arms and
under-barrel grenade fire, but no one was injured. A second
patrol later returned and was granted access to the site
without further incident. There were also separate incidents
of firefights breaking out near the villages of Eredvi and
Sarabuki, though no casualties were reported. Tension
remains high in South Ossetia, where nightly shooting
incidents have become the norm. OSCE assesses that relations
between the three sides of the JPKF (Georgia, Russia and
Ossetia) remain fractured over suspicions that the Georgian
JPKF knew in advance of the July 3 shelling of Tskhinvali
(reftel). There have also been rumors that JPKF Commander
General Kulakmetov and the de-facto authorities are at odds
with one another, which may explain the behavior of the South
Ossetian militia near Cholibauri. End summary and comment.

Joint patrols denied access to incident sites
--------------

2. (C) On the evening of July 28, a firefight broke out near
the village of Cholibauri, approximately 7 km southwest of
Tskhinvali. No injuries were reported; however, a joint
OSCE-JPKF patrol was twice denied access to the incident site
by armed South Ossetian militia, who fired warning shots in
the air when the patrol returned a second time. OSCE
reported that they have issued a freedom of movement
violation to the South Ossetian de-facto authorities for
restricting the right of OSCE-JPKF patrols to move freely
within the zone of conflict. OSCE's senior military observer
speculated that the South Ossetians had probably deployed
armored vehicles and/or ZU-23 anti-aircraft guns to the area,
in violation of the cease-fire agreement, and did not want
the patrol to discover them.


3. (C) More seriously, a joint OSCE-JPKF patrol came under
small arms and grenade fire as it was traveling to
investigate a separate shooting incident near the villages of
Andzisi and Sveri, about 13 km north-northeast of Tskhinvali.
OSCE reported that a firefight took place between 12-4 am
the morning of July 29, where there are opposing South
Ossetian and Georgian police posts entrenched in the hills.
A joint OSCE-JPKF monitoring patrol went to investigate, when
they came under fire by unknown assailants. No injuries were
reported. A second joint patrol returned later on July 29
and was granted access to the site without further incident.
When questioned by the JPKF, both the Georgians and South
Ossetian admitted to "returning fire" during the firefight,
but not to starting it, and both denied firing on the earlier
joint patrol.


TEFFT