TBILISI, DFWatch–Russian soldiers have halted the installation of wire feinces in the border village of Ditsi near South Ossetia.

According to the Interior Ministry, the situation is now peaceful in Ditsi, while police are continuing to patrol and the village.

“Ministry of Internal Affairs does not confirm the activation of regulations of the de facto Tskhinvali government on restricting free movement, which was supposed to come into force from September 18,” the ministry writes in response to recent reports in local media.

The statement also says that the ministry condemns any attempts by Russian soliders to restrict free movement along the ‘occupation’ line and calls on the international community ‘to make a strict and adequate assessment of the mentioned illegal actions.’

Wednesday evening, villagers said that Russian soldiers are not continuing with border demarcation work. They think the reasons the Russians have stopped work may be the upcoming meeting in Prague between Zurab Abashidze and Grigory Karasin – Georgia and Russia’s special negotiators for bilateral trade talks.

Others say the soldiers might continue the installation of wires and move the border even further into Georgian-controlled territory, which may lead to three houses and a cemetery ending up on the Russian-controlled side.

Locals say a jeep approached the Russian soldiers in the evening and ordered them to stop work.