ITAR-TASS , Russia
Sept 20 2009

Tskhinval mounts mil parade on anniversary of republic’s proclamation

20.09.2009, 16.28

TSKHINVAL, September 20 (ITAR-TASS) – Tskhinval staged a military
parade on the occasion of the 19th anniversary of the proclamation of
the South Ossetian Republic. The parade involved units of the Defence
Ministry, the Border Service of the State Security Committee and South
Ossetian commandos.

South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity hailed the troops. He recalled
events that happened 19 years ago when `the Republic of South Ossetia
was proclaimed by the will of people’. `Born on September 20, 1990,
during grim days of armed confrontation, Republic Day became a turning
point in the latest history of our people.

`South Ossetia launched into a new life, the start of which was marked
by a chain of tragic and heroic events,’ the president emphasized.

Kokoity noted that `the very logic of events at the end of the 1980s
when Georgian nationalist forces unleashed an act of armed aggression
against peaceful Ossetian population, prodded South Ossetian people to
take the only correct decision on turning the autonomous region into a
republic’.

Along with the South Ossetian president, head of the breakaway
Dniester Republic Igor Smirnov, the Nagorno-Karabakh foreign minister,
the Nicaraguan ambassador to Russia and delegation members from
subjects of the Russian Federation hailed parade members from stands.

Festivities will continue on Sunday with a show of records and
achievements, a gala concert and fireworks.