Georgia Sets up Council to Coordinate South Ossetian Policy

President Saakashvili said on September 23 that a Coordination Council, chaired by Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli, will be set up to coordinate the Georgian side?s policy for a peacefully solution to the South Ossetian conflict. He also hailed the statement issued by the U.S. Department of State and expressed hope that the United States will play a more active role in helping to resolve this conflict.

He was speaking at the National Security Council session. Saakashvili?s brief speech was broadcasted by the Georgian television stations.

?We should all work in order to prevent provocations directed against the Georgian state. We have decided to set up a coordination council ? This group should carry out coordination every minute of every day in order to –  despite the fact that the separatist side provocatively says no to dialogue ? force them [the South Ossetian side] to carry out dialogue, to force them to talk about a peaceful resolution [of the conflict],? President Saakashvili said.

He said that State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Giorgi Khaindrava, Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili, Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili and Secretary of the National Security Council Gela Bezhuashvili will alos be members of this Coordination Council.

He also commented on the statement made by the U.S. Department of State on September 22 in which Washington urged Russia ?in respect of Georgia’s territorial integrity, to refrain from support of the unrecognized South Ossetian leadership.?

?It is very important that our friends ? Americans – are starting to become involved in this [peace] process, [it is important] that they support peaceful dialogues and a peaceful process. Also [it is important] that for the first time in recent years a public call has been made [by the United States] to stop supporting separatists from abroad. I think this is a very important moment. The [U.S.] Department of State has made a statement for the first time, which says that support of separatists by Russia should end once and for all,? Saakashvili said.

But Saakashvili did not comment on that part of the statement which condemns the mortar attack on the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali which wounded ten civilians on September 20. The U.S. Department of State called on Georgia ?to take immediate steps to demonstrate its commitment to a peaceful settlement of the South Ossetia conflict, including by immediately bringing to justice those responsible for this unjustifiable act of violence against innocent civilians.”

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)