Parliament Approves Resolution on Russian Peacekeepers

On October 11 the Georgian Parliament approved unanimously, with a 143-0 vote, a resolution which serves as an ultimatum for the Russian side in regards to maintaining its peacekeeping forces in Georgia.

The resolution instructs the Georgian government to take measures to prepare for the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from the South Ossetian and Abkhazian conflict zone if the performance of the peacekeeping forces does not improve before February, 2006 and July, 2006 in South Ossetia and Abkhazia respectively.

The representatives from opposition Republican and Conservative parties did not participate in the vote.

Prior to voting MPs from the ruling National Movement party rejected an alternative draft resolution submitted by leader of the opposition Conservative party, MP Koba Davitashvili, which envisaged to immediately demand pullout of Russian peacekeepers from the conflict zones before January 1, 2006.

Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze said at a news briefing, which was held after the voting that the non-participation in the vote by the opposition was “better than voting against the resolution.”  

“Frankly speaking, I believed that we would be unanimous in accepting this decision; however, I think that we were still unanimous,” Burjanadze said.   

According to amendments to the initial draft resolution, the Georgian government was instructed to develop a peace plan over Abkhazia by May 1.

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