Moscow Hails Kokoity’s Peace Proposals
In a statement issued on December 14 the Russian Foreign Ministry hailed the peace proposal unveiled by South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity regarding the development of a joint peace plan over resolution of the South Ossetian conflict.
The Russian Foreign Ministry’s Spokesman Mikhail Kaminin described this proposal as a “new initiative,” however added that “they integrally took in the previously advanced proposals of the South Ossetian side as well as the considerations put forward by the Georgian President at the 59th session of the UN General Assembly [in September 2004].”
The “three-stage” peace plan unveiled by the South Ossetian leader completely coincides with Tbilisi’s peace initiatives. Both plans call for demilitarization of the conflict zone, confidence building and security guarantees during the first stage; social-economic rehabilitation at the second stage; and a political settlement during the last stage.
“At the same time these initiatives – and that’s their principled novelty – are not a unilaterally promoting ‘truth in its last instance,’ but are being suggested as the basis for working out a truly joint Georgian-Ossetian program of settlement. Russia has always held to just this line,” Kaminin said.
Official Tbilisi has already welcomed Tskhinvali’s peace proposal, describing it as “a surprise.”
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
