Kokoity Insists on Assessment of S.Ossetian Conflict Reasons

In an interview with the Tbilisi-based Rustavi 2 television broadcasted on May 3 President of breakaway South Ossetian Eduard Kokoity rejected Tbilisi”s peace plan but offered to discuss existing problems during TV debates with President Saakashvili. He also called on the Georgian side to condemn those “acts which led to a confrontation between [the] brotherly people” of South Ossetia and Georgia and to start considering restitution issue.

Eduard Kokoity said that it is necessary to “find out the reasons,” which triggered the armed confrontation between Ossetians and Georgia in the early 90s, during the presidency of Zviad Gamsakhurdia, in order to find a solution to this conflict.

“Political will and courage is necessary to recognize a mistake. What triggered this confrontation, what triggered this genocide [of Ossetians]? Georgians themselves described the regime of [Georgia”s late President Zviad] Gamsakhurdia as “provincial fascism” but, unfortunately, this has not been reflected in political documents. There is no political document condemning those political leaders who fueled the armed confrontation between the two brotherly nations,” Eduard Kokoity said.

“I would like to expect from the Georgian side a condemnation of those acts which led to war between two brotherly people. I have even noticed recently that many politicians fear calling Ossetians and Georgians “brotherly people.” Haven”t we been brotherly people?” he added.

The South Ossetian leader also spoke about the upcoming visit of U.S. President George W. Bush to Georgia and said that South Ossetia is “glad that such a high level guest will visit neighboring Georgia.”

But Kokoity added that Tbilisi consistently tries to destabilize the situation in the conflict zone on the eve of Bush”s visit and accused the Georgian side of, as he put it, “violating South Ossetia”s airspace.”   

“We have all the means to down these so called “unidentified” aircrafts which violate [airspace]. Up to now, South Ossetian airspace has been violated 7 times since April 29. This is a provocation aimed at undermining the relatively stabilized situation which currently exists [in the conflict zone],” the South Ossetia leader said.

When answering the question of why he rejected to hold talks with Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli in late April, Kokoity said that he is against ‘meetings just for meetings’ sake’ and offered to hold talks between the Interior Ministers instead, in an attempt to help reduce the crime rate in the conflict zone.

“I am categorically against meetings which are held just for meetings’ [sake]. We should hold meeting between the “power” ministers [referring to the Interior Ministers and other officials from the law enforcement agencies]. We have proposed the holding of this kind of meeting to the Georgian side many times, but we have not seen results in practice, despite their [the Georgian side”s] consent [to hold meeting between the Interior Ministers],” Kokoity said.

He reiterated that the Georgian side”s proposal over the conflict settlement, which was offered by President Saakashvili during his address to the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe in Strasbourg in January, is unacceptable for Tskhinvali. He also said that this document was not even handed over to the South Ossetian side by Tbilisi officials.

“Officially, I have seen this initiative nowhere. You can disseminate it through electronic media sources, but we have not yet received any official information about this [peace proposal]… It [peace plan] is absolutely unacceptable for us. We are an independent state. We have not appealed to any one to consider the status of South Ossetia,” Kokoity said.

The South Ossetian leader also commented about the possible withdrawal of Russian military bases from Georgia and said that Tskhinvali welcomes this decision as long as this pull out of bases does not undermine Russia”s position in the South Caucasus.

“If this withdrawal gives a positive boost to the strengthening of relations [between Russia and Georgia] and the strengthening of the positions of two countries [Russia and Georgia], than of course we welcome this withdrawal. But if this [withdrawal of bases] is directed at weakening the position of Russia and pushing Russia out of the South Caucasus region, than of course for us – as citizens of Russia, as here about 95% of the residents of South Ossetia are Russian citizens – we are not indifferent what will be Russia’s position here,” Kokoity said.

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