Watch out for the border! Georgia wins Europe, Ossetia breaks away

November 30, 2013November 30, 2013 Loreline Merelle

Warning sign in the middle of cultivated fields between Georgia and South Ossetia (Credit UEMM Georgia) — Attention ! State border. Passage is forbidden A very clear sign in the middle of cultivated fields between Georgia and South Ossetia (Credit EUMM Georgia)

(BRUSSELS2) The "administrative boundary" between South Ossetia and Georgia is beginning to become a border... While in Vilnius, at the summit of the Eastern Partnership, Georgia celebrated the initialling of its association agreement with the he European Union, the observation mission of the European Union (EUMM Georgia), present on the ground gave the alert. The installation of barbed wire between South Ossetia and Georgia has taken back more beautiful, she says in a press release published this Friday (November 29).

Resuming installations after a break

Since mid-October, these installations had however ceased, as a European diplomat had confided to B2 (On the Club: 25th meeting in Geneva. Detente between Russians and Georgians?) But a mission patrol, sent to the Dirbi-Ghogheti region, revealed the pot-aux-roses by observing “ the installation of red metal poles along a strip of land of about 160 meters, including 35 meters of barbed wire ».

Attention ! state border

As can be seen in the photo taken by the European observers, the sign is eloquent, mentioning in English and Georgian: "Warning ! State border. Passage is forbidden". The message is clear! And it is not isolated. Observers note, in fact, "the intensification (...) of warning signs telling people not to pass (...) especially in the middle of cultivated fields".

Winter is coming

As winter approaches, EUMM's new boss, Toivo Klaar called " all parties to consider the potential impact on people's livelihoods and resources and their ability to support themselves during this difficult time of year”. He also reaffirmed the role of the mission: “EUMM will continue to patrol the region and facilitate the exchange of information between the parties directly, in order to prevent and reduce potential tensions in the region. » The mission also “activated the incident prevention and response mechanism” and “called on all parties to exchange information on these latest developments”.

Comments : incidents or rising tension are a "classic" approach or during certain political events. But here, we feel that the political context has evolved. We are witnessing a new stage in the Georgian crisis which is not going in the right direction. The existence of two territories not controlled by the Georgian government (Abkhazia and South Ossetia) poses a real problem in Tbilisi as in Brussels. You have to choose: Europe or these territories? In the aftermath of Vilnius, and the initiation of an association agreement with Georgia, we can say that the choice is clearly made. Brussels and Tbilisi have decided. It's Europe! Tbilisi thus renounces territories that physically mark their independence. A sign of this imperceptible change is the change in the name of the Georgian Ministry of "Reintegration" to the Ministry of Reconciliation and Civic Equality. And, at European level, even if we do not wish it, we endorse this differentiation. To end up tomorrow with a "no mans land", whose citizens are "formally" Georgian, but which are not controlled by Tbilisi, would pose a real problem. South Ossetia has thus received its "visa" for independence... or attachment to Russia... if Moscow really wants it. (NGV)