New gas pipeline for S.Ossetia costs $476 mln - Gazprom

TSKHINVALI, August 26, 2009 (RIA Novosti) -

The newly-built gas pipeline in the former Georgian republic of South Ossetia costs 15 billion rubles ($476 million), a deputy CEO of Russia's energy giant Gazprom said on Wednesday.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin had a meeting on Wednesday with South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity. After the meeting, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller gave instructions to launch natural gas supplies through the newly built pipeline.

"It [the Dzuarikau-Tskhinvali pipeline] cost 15 billion rubles," Alexander Ananenkov said.

Construction of the gas pipeline, linking North Ossetia's Dzaurikau village to South Ossetia's capital of Tskhinvali, started in December 2006. The pipeline stretches for 169 km.

Ananenkov added that Gazprom and the South Ossetian government had agreed to establish a joint venture to run the 70.2 km-leg of the new pipeline using the latest technology.

The distribution of stakes in the JV is currently being negotiated, but it is already known that Gazprom will hold over 50%, according to Ananenkov.

The Gazprom official said the Russian gas monopoly would build more gas pipelines for the republic, and gave assurances that natural gas would be supplied to South Ossetia through Russian pipelines for at least another hundred years.

The republic has so far been supplied by gas through the Agara-Tskhinvali leg of the Georgian Tbilisi-Kutaisi trunk system, which South Ossetia will cease to use as soon as the Dzuarikau-Tskhinvali pipeline goes to full capacity.

Georgia’s Foreign Ministry protested the pipeline’s launch later on Wednesday.

“The Georgian Foreign Ministry is voicing a resolute protest at another violation on the part of Russia of generally recognized provisions and international law principles, as well as Georgia’s territorial integrity, inviolability of state borders and national laws,” the ministry said in a statement.

Today marks a year since Russia recognized South Ossetia, and another former Georgian republic, Abkhazia, as independent after a five-day war with Georgia over Tskhinvali.

Russia firm on supporting S.Ossetia, Abkhazia - PM Putin

MOSCOW, August 26, 2009 (RIA Novosti) -

Russia will continue to give its full support to the former Georgian republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and will not allow the events of last August to recur, Russia's prime minister said on Wednesday.

Some 162 civilians and 67 Russian service personnel, including peacekeepers, were killed when Georgia attacked the former Georgian republic of South Ossetia last August. Russia reacted swiftly, expelling Georgian troops from the region. It subsequently recognized South Ossetia and another former Georgian republic of Abkhazia on August 26.

"Russia intends to continue giving total political and economic support both to South Ossetia and Abkhazia. I would like to say clearly once again that Russia will not permit any reprisal attempts or any repeat of military ventures in this region," Vladimir Putin said following his meeting with South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity.

The Russian premier said that Moscow is also ready to consider granting South Ossetia additional financial aid to rebuild its social infrastructure.

"We are ready to consider allocating extra resources for the restoration of social and communal facilities if the need should arise," he said.

Russia has already allocated some 10 billion rubles ($321 million) to South Ossetia for projects to rebuild infrastructure destroyed during the August 2008 war.

Putin said that Russia never targeted or encouraged other countries to recognize the former Georgian republics and the fact that only Nicaragua has recognized their sovereignty is no threat to either Abkhazia or South Ossetia.

Earlier in the day Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said that Tskhinvali and Sukhumi were interested in other countries and international organizations recognizing their independence but said "not all the processes in the world moves quickly," adding that other states needed time to make their decision on the two republics' recognition.