Russia is providing expert support for establishing the
financial system of South Ossetia, but any integration of payment
systems is out of the question, the head of the administrative
department of the Federal Treasury Andrey Gurovich said.
"Information on the possible integration of the payment systems in Russia
and South Ossetia is not true. Russia's help in the development of
the financial system of South Ossetia is purely advisory in nature,"
Gurovich is quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.
Some Russian media earlier reported that the integration of South
Ossetia into the Russian payment system was discussed at a recent
meeting of the prime minister of North Ossetia Sergei Takoev with
Deputy Head of the Federal Treasury Stanislav Prokofiev.
This report caused a strong reaction from the Georgian side.
Integration of South Ossetia into the payment system of the Russian
Federation will stop the "positive dynamics" in relations between
Tbilisi and Moscow, the Georgian Foreign Ministry said today.
"Implementation of such solutions will be a sad step backward in the
positive dynamics of bilateral relations that has taken place in
recent years," News-Georgia quotes the statement.
