JCC to Discuss Kokoity’s Peace Proposals

Russian chief negotiator for the South Ossetian conflict Valery Kenyaikin said in an interview with news agency RIA Novosti on December 23 that the recent peace proposals made by South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity will be discussed at the session of the quadripartite Joint Control Commission (JCC) scheduled for December 27-28 in Moscow.
 
“One of the key issues [which will be discussed during] the session is setting up of a joint working group under the aegis of JCC, which should develop a joint program on settlement of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict in a spirit of those peace initiatives, which were unveiled by Eduard Kokoity,” he said.
 
The Russian diplomat said that Kokoity’s initiatives include the ideas unveiled by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili at the 59th Session of the UN General Assembly in September, 2004.
 
All three stages of the plan unveiled by the South Ossetian leader completely coincide with Tbilisi’s proposals. 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 third stage.
 
“The Georgian side understands that it is counterproductive to hold essential talks over political settlement without resolution of the issues of the first two stages,” Kenyaikin said.
 
Earlier Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Giorgi Khaindrava said in the interview with the RIA Novosti that the Georgian side will try to reach an agreement over the date of possible meeting between Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli and South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity at the JCC session in Moscow. 

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