Tbilisi Describes Tskhinvali’s Peace Proposals as a “Surprise”

Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli said at a news briefing on December 13 that the peace proposals unveiled by South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity regarding the development of a joint peace plan came as “a surprise” to Tbilisi. Nogaideli expressed readiness to meet with Eduard Kokoity even “today” and discuss the peace plan with him.

“We have received a surprise letter from South Ossetian de facto leader Eduard Kokoity, in which he proposes the Presidents of Georgia, Russia and OSCE member states to launch activities over a joint peace plan. We find it rather important that the key provisions of the letter coincide with the peace plan unveiled by President Saakashvili in 2004 at the UN General Assembly session, which was consequently submitted to the OSCE Permanent Council and was finally supported at the OSCE Ministerial in Ljubljana last week,” Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli said.

The Georgian Prime Minister called for an urgent session of the Joint Control Commission (JCC) to discuss the peace plan. He stressed the necessity for implementing the first stage of the plan, envisaging demilitarization of the South Ossetian conflict zone.

Zurab Nogaideli also stressed Russia’s positive role regarding the peace plan. “Russia’s constructive position was especially obvious at the recent summit in Ljubljana,” Nogaideli said.

During the OSCE Ministerial Council in Ljubljana on December 5-6 Russia supported the adoption of a statement on Georgia, which welcomes the Georgian peace plan over South Ossetia.