Republic of South Ossetia is located оn the southern slopes of the Main Caucasus Range in the area of 3900 square meters. Тhe capital is the city of Tskhinval.
One-tenth of the surface occupied by the Republic of the foothills.
The rest of the territory - the mountainous terrain height from 850 to 3938 meters above sea level.
The highest point - Mount Halatsa (3938 m).

Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia in connection with the second anniversary of armed aggression of Georgia against the Republic of South Ossetia

On August 7-8, 2010 memorial events dedicated to the second anniversary of atrocious aggression of Georgia against South Ossetia are holding.

Two years ago, on the night from 7 to 8 August 2008 Georgian army, encouraged and trained by American instructors deceitfully pounced its military might upon South Ossetia thus violated all the norms of international law. In course of aggression they have used prohibited weapons including cluster bombs, rocket systems and 500-kg-weight bombs. As a result hundreds of peaceful citizens of Tskhinval and neighboring villages and dozens of Russian peacekeepers were killed and many more wounded. The scale of destructions was terrible indeed.

Those days only the courage of defenders of South Ossetia and resolute and timely interference of Russia which implemented operation on bringing Georgia to peace saved the people of South Ossetia from total elimination.

Two years after the Georgian aggression South Ossetia still faces various challenges and problems. The most significant of them still remains revanchist policy of Georgia. Notwithstanding the failure of August adventure Georgian leadership did not make any conclusions and is not going to refuse from the plans of violent inclusion of South Ossetia into Georgia. Only the adoption of legal commitments on non-use of force can prevent from further tragedy. Unfortunately, Tbilisi authorities refuse to sign such a necessary document though they are obliged to do it in accordance with Medvedev-Sarcozi plan.

For the time being fait accompli is that the international community became aware of the truth about the events of August 2008 in South Ossetia. Independent commission headed by Heidi Togliavini created by EU for investigation of the facts of August 2008 came to conclusion that it was Georgia which started the war against South Ossetia. Objective evaluation of war in South Ossetia is an opportunity to draw adequate conclusions to avoid repetition such kind of situations in other “hot spots”.

The Republic of South Ossetia is optimistic about its future as an independent recognized democratic state which political tack is aimed at peaceful co-existence and cooperation on equal bases with its neighbours.

Today in the country is in process rehabilitation of infrastructure and social sphere destroyed or damaged during the war 2008.

Tskhinval,
7 August 2010