Georgia Lists Measures Aimed at Defusing Tensions in S.Ossetia

On Monday the Georgian Foreign Ministry posted measures Tbilisi plans to undertake in an attempt to defuse tensions in the South Ossetian conflict zone on its web-site. These measures were agreed upon during a meeting of the Georgian government’s coordination council on South Ossetian held on February 18. The Georgian Prime Minister, Defense, Interior and Foreign Ministers, as well as State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues, represent the members of this governmental council.

Below is a list of measures the Georgian side plans to undertake, as posted by the Foreign Ministry:

“We consider it expedient to carry out the following measures to reduce tensions in the conflict zone and to start the demilitarization process immediately: 

1. Withdrawal of Georgian MoD [Ministry of Defense] Military Police units from Didi Liakhvi gorge;

2. The Georgian MoD Military Police unit (consisting of 11 locals) stationed in Didi Liakhvi gorge will be incorporated into the JPKF Georgian peacekeeping battalion;

3. Rotation of the JPKF Georgian peacekeeping battalion started on February 19, 2006. A complete list of battalion personnel will be handed over to the OSCE mission to Georgia and JPKF Command on February 20, 2006;

4. Since the conflict zone covers 2/3 of the Gori district, the Gori district MoD Military Police unit (consisting of 15-17 servicemen) will be incorporated into the JPKF Georgian peacekeeping battalion.

5. The JPKF Georgian peacekeeping battalion will be rotated every three months, starting from spring of this year. The strength of the JPKF Georgian peacekeepers will increase (by 100 servicemen) up to 330 servicemen;

6. Trenches located in the zone of responsibility of JPKF the Georgian peacekeeping battalion will be filled up as soon as the snow smelts;

7. No Georgian serviceman (except for peacekeepers) will enter the conflict zone without a special permit issued by the Ministry of Defence of Georgia and without the consent of the Chief Military Commander of Georgian Peacekeeping Force. The OSCE observer mission to Georgia will receive a complete list of all Georgian servicemen entering the conflict zone.

8. The Georgian Police and Financial Police will be charged with ensuring unhindered legal movement of cargo showing certificates verifying the legality of this movement;

9.The Georgian side is ready to cooperate with the law enforcement bodies of the Tskhinvali Region in joint efforts to combat crime. The Georgian side offers the Tskhinvali authorities to hold a meeting between the Ministers of Interior (of the two sides) either in Tbilisi or in Tskhinvali.”
 
The Georgian government also called on all parties involved in the conflict settlement process to undertake similar steps.