TBILISI, DFWatch-Russian soldiers on Wednesday removed a Georgian flag at the border with the breakaway region South Ossetia.
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Stretching from Azerbaijan’s Caspian Sea shore to Georgia’s Black Sea coast, the Western Route Export pipeline has a capacity of 100 000 bbls/yr of oil.
In 2008 tensions in the region rose due to clashes between Georgian troops and Russian-backed rebels in South Ossetia, which escalated into war with Russia after Georgia attempted to retake the restive province.
Georgian authorities have expressed concern over the recent demarcation activities of Russian troops, which leave portion of the Baku-Supsa oil pipeline outside the control of the government in Tbilisi, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty informs.
On July 10, Russia’s occupational forces illegally placed so-called border signs near Georgia’s central highway in several villages in Gori municipality in central Georgia.
“The European Union reaffirms its full support for Georgia’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders”.
After the war, Moscow recognized South Ossetia – along with the Georgian separatist enclave of Abkhazia – as independent states and stationed thousands of troops in the regions that make up some 20 percent of Georgian territory.
“We’ve lost most of our fields”, explained a farmer who lives in the area. “The Russians said we are no longer allowed there”.
Since then Moscow has entrenched itself in the region, signing a 5-year agreement to control South Ossetia’s border with Georgia in April 2009.
Reports say markers have been placed at least 300m (980ft) further south into Georgian territory.
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Georgia has said the move was part of a campaign of “creeping annexation” that has also seen Russian Federation erect new fences on other parts of the de-facto frontier. Georgia is seeking membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation military alliance.
