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OSCE observers held in S Ossetia OSCE observers held in S Ossetia
(10 minutes later)
The leader of Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia says his forces have detained several OSCE observers.The leader of Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia says his forces have detained several OSCE observers.
Eduard Kokoity told Russia's Interfax news agency that the observers were being held for "illegally crossing the Georgian-South Ossetian border".Eduard Kokoity told Russia's Interfax news agency that the observers were being held for "illegally crossing the Georgian-South Ossetian border".
The OSCE told BBC News that two officers had been detained "somewhere around the administrative boundary of South Ossetia" on Tuesday morning. The OSCE told the BBC that two military officers had been detained "somewhere around the administrative boundary of South Ossetia" on Tuesday morning.
The monitors are overseeing a ceasefire agreement between Georgia and Russia.The monitors are overseeing a ceasefire agreement between Georgia and Russia.
Georgia and Russia fought a brief but intense war last August, during which Georgia's attempts to regain control of South Ossetia and its other breakaway region of Abkhazia were repelled by Russian forces. An OSCE spokeswoman in Georgia, Martha Freeman, says negotiations are now under way with "all relevant parties to get the situation resolved as quickly and effectively as possible".
The monitors are now being held in Tskhinvali, capital of the breakaway region, she told the BBC.
Georgia and Russia fought a brief but intense war last August, during which Georgia's attempts to regain control of South Ossetia and its other breakaway region of Abkhazia were repelled by Russian and separatist forces.
Both regions have been trying to gain formal independence since breaking away in the early 1990s. Russia has now recognised them as independent - a move condemned by Western nations.Both regions have been trying to gain formal independence since breaking away in the early 1990s. Russia has now recognised them as independent - a move condemned by Western nations.
'Provocative''Provocative'
On Tuesday, South Ossetia's separatist administration said a group of monitors from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) had been caught entering its territory illegally.On Tuesday, South Ossetia's separatist administration said a group of monitors from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) had been caught entering its territory illegally.
"The OSCE observers travelling in a car illegally crossed the border with South Ossetia in the Tskhinvali region and were detained by border guards in South Ossetia," Mr Kokoity said."The OSCE observers travelling in a car illegally crossed the border with South Ossetia in the Tskhinvali region and were detained by border guards in South Ossetia," Mr Kokoity said.
"The actions of the OSCE observers have a provocative nature and the South Ossetian interior ministry will make a statement to this effect," he added."The actions of the OSCE observers have a provocative nature and the South Ossetian interior ministry will make a statement to this effect," he added.
OSCE spokesman Martin Nesirky confirmed that two OSCE military monitoring officers appeared "to have been detained somewhere around the administrative boundary of South Ossetia". OSCE spokesman Martin Nesirky confirmed that two OSCE military monitoring officers "appear to have been detained somewhere around the administrative boundary of South Ossetia".
Later, the OSCE mission in Georgia said negotiations were now under way with "all relevant parties to get the situation resolved as quickly and effectively as possible".
The monitors were now being held in Tskhinvali, capital of the breakaway region, spokeswoman Martha Freeman told the BBC.
Two OSCE monitors were briefly detained by separatist forces in February after allegedly straying into South Ossetia.Two OSCE monitors were briefly detained by separatist forces in February after allegedly straying into South Ossetia.
The OSCE mission to Georgia was established in 1992 in response to conflicts in the country. Its 28 military observers were permitted to carry out patrols in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, but since last year's war Russia has refused to let them enter either breakaway region.