As it became known, May 18 saw signing of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Federal Council of the Swiss Confederation, according to which the Russian Federation has completed the procedure necessary for launching the implementation of the Agreement on the basic principles for a mechanism of customs administration and monitoring of trade in goods signed with Georgia on November 9, 2011.

May 20 is annually celebrated in South Ossetia as the Commemoration day of victims of the Georgian aggression. On this day in 1992 the roundabout way nearby the Ossetian village Zar became a scene of the atrocity committed by Georgian extremists. A column of South Ossetian refugees was shot down at point-blank range from an ambush. Thirty three persons, mostly children, women and elderly, were killed as a result of that barbarous action; about twenty persons were badly wounded.

According to the established tradition a mourning meeting was held at the monument “Mourning mother” raised at place of the tragedy. Officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia participated in the meeting. Victims of not only the Zar tragedy, but also all those who had been killed throughout of the many years-lasting Georgian-Ossetian conflict, who had sacrificed their lives for the independence of the Motherland, were commemorated at the meeting.

May 17 saw Dmitrii Medoev, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia, together with representatives of Foreign Ministries of the Russian Federation, the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic and the Republic of Artsakh, who had arrived in Sukhum on the occasion of the festivities, dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia, meeting with Raul Khadzhimba, the President of the Republic of Abkhazia.

The President welcomed the guests, thanked them for participation in the festivities and noted the importance of development and strengthening of relations with friendly states.

In framework of the festivities, dedicated to 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia, a trilateral working meeting of Dmitrii Medoev, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia, Daur Kove, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia, and Vitaly Ignatiev, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, was organized on May 17, 2018.

In framework of the working visit to Abkhazia the South Ossetian Foreign Minister Dmitrii Medoev participated in the solemnities, dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia on May 17.

The festivities began in the Sukhum Park of Glory, where wreaths were laid to the Memorial to victims of the Abkhazian Patriotic War of 1992-1993.

On May 16 in framework of the working visit to Abkhazia Dmitrii Medoev, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia, participated in a scientific conference entitled “The Republic of Abkhazia: struggle for the independence, present-day realities and perspectives”, dedicated to the 25th Anniversary of the Independence and the Victory in the Abkhazian Patriotic War of 1992-1993 and the 10th Anniversary of its Recognition by the Russian Federation.

Raul Khadzhimba, the President of the Republic of Abkhazia, Daur Kove, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia, as well as figures of science and culture, participated in the conference, organized in the Sukhum Museum of Military Glory named after Vladislav Ardzinba.

In framework of the working visit to Abkhazia the South Ossetian Foreign Minister Dmitrii Medoev visited on May 15 the Embassy of the Republic of South Ossetia in the Republic of Abkhazia and met with Oleg Botsiev, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of South Ossetia to the Republic of Abkhazia, and officers of the Embassy.

The main aspects of work conducted by the Embassy, in particular, terms of strengthening friendly and business ties between corresponding agencies of the Republic of South Ossetia and the Republic of Abkhazia were discussed at the meeting.

Upon an invitation from Daur Kove, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia, Dmitrii Medoev, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia, arrived in the Republic of Abkhazia on a working visit, which will last from May 14 till May 18. In framework of the visit the Minister will participate in celebrations, dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia.

In framework of a working visit to Moscow the South Ossetian Foreign Minister Dmitrii Medoev met with Deputy Executive Director of the Alexander Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund Roman Grishenin and Advisor to the Executive Director of the Fund, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Valery Kenyaykin on May 11.

In framework of the working visit to the Republic of Artsakh the South Ossetian Foreign Minister Dmitrii Medoev met with Araik Arutyunyan, State Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh, on May 2.

Perspectives and plans for extending the bilateral cooperation in various spheres were discussed during the meeting. Special attention was paid to the development of business and economic ties.