The sixth All-Ossetian Assembly in Tskhinvali has called on the Russian leadership to recognize breakaway South Ossetia’s independence, reported Civil Georgia. As quoted by the news source, “On behalf of the people of [Russia’s] North Ossetia and South Ossetia, the Assembly requests that you consider recognizing South Ossetia’s independence,” the statement adopted by the Assembly reads.

The statement, among other things, accused Georgia of repeatedly trying to oppress ethnic Ossetians over the course of several centuries. In a separate statement, the Assembly condemned the Tbilisi-backed South Ossetian provisional administration, led by Dimitri Sanakoev, calling it “a puppet government.”
The Assembly brought together on September 18-19 around 500 ethnic Ossetians from at least 11 countries, the news source reported, citing information provided by the South Ossetian Press and Information Committee. Russia’s North Ossetian Republic leader, Teimuraz Mamsurov, joined the participants in Tskhinvali on September 19.

The assembly is a high-profile event for the South Ossetian secessionist authorities, as it has been used to demonstrate what they consider broad-based support among ethnic Ossetians, reported Civil Georgia.

This information was originally published September 19, 2007(www.civil.ge)