Western partners’ non-recognition of South Ossetia’s independence cannot create an obstacle for Tskhinval’s officials to be invited to different OSCE discussions concerning their country, Russian permanent envoy to OSCE Anvar Azimov told Itar-Tass on Thursday.

“Our western partners in the OSCE as well as Finland presiding over the organization do not give their consent for inviting South Ossetia and Abkhazia to the organization referring to the fact that they are not OSCE member-states,” he said.

“As for us we proceed from an assumption that there is the document of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe adopted in 1993. This document is called Stabilising Measures for Localized Crisis Situations. Thus, Principle 9 of the document leaves the room for the parties that are not states to be involved in a crisis prevention, management and/or settlement process,” Azimov said.