Georgian MFA: Russia No Longer Impartial Facilitator

Tbilisi can no longer expect Russia to be an impartial facilitator in the conflict resolution process, reads a Georgian Foreign Ministry”s statement, issued on February 3.

In the statement the Georgian Foreign Ministry condemned a meeting between Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Ivanov and South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity, which took place in Moscow on February 2 as an attempt “to stimulate the separatist regime.”

The Georgian Foreign Ministry also condemned the Russian Foreign Ministry”s information note issued on February 2, which describes Eduard Kokoity as “the President of South Ossetia.”

“The Georgian side would like to hear who the Russian Foreign Minister met from the Russian side and whether the Russian side truly recognizes Kokoity as “President” (a status beyond any comment) of “South Ossetia” (whose status has to be defined within Georgia through the process of negotiations),” the Georgian Foreign Ministry stated.