Kokoity declares closure of the border of South Ossetia with Georgia

Today at midnight, the border of South Ossetia with Georgia will be closed, as declared by Eduard Kokoity, President of the republic, who has explained it "by recent frequent provocations from the Georgian party," and instances of "swine flu" in Georgia.

Earlier, Andrei Nesterenko, the official spokesman of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has also stated provocations of the Georgian party; and in this context, according to his story, the combat readiness of Russian military units in South Ossetia was amplified.

Eduard Kokoity made his statement about the border closure at today's meeting with the heads of power agencies in Tskhinvali, as reported by the "Interfax".

"To ensure safety of the population of the republic against the 'swine flu', and with the aim to prevent all sorts of provocations from the Georgian party, I hereby order to close as of today's midnight the border of the Republic of South Ossetia and stop any traffic across the border between South Ossetia and Georgia both for motor vehicles and pedestrians," said Mr Kokoity.

Besides, in the context of one year's anniversary of the events of August 2008, security services of South Ossetia have been switched over to the reinforced operating regime, as reported today at a press conference by Dmitri Medoev, ambassador of the republic in Russia.

According to his story, such measures have been undertaken in connection with recent more frequent provocations by the Georgian party. Mr Medoev has emphasized that these are not only provocations of the terrorist character, but also the anti-Ossetian propaganda in Georgian mass media has amplified, as the "Georgia Today" Agency writes.