EU Concerned over Russian-Georgian Tensions

EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby expressed concern over the deteriorating relations between Georgia and Russia in the course of last few months, saying that such a situation may hamper conflict resolution process.  
 
“Both in Georgia and in Russia make the statements about the risk of escalation of the situation and in this situation, I hope that the European Union, which is a partner of both Georgia and Russia, can contribute to a normalization of the situation,” Peter Semneby said at a news conference in Tbilisi on May 25.
 
Peter Semneby, who arrived in Tbilisi on May 22, also visited breakaway South Ossetia on May 24 and held talks with the South Ossetian authorities in Tskhinvali.
 
The European Union envoy also said that the need for a dialogue between Tskhinvali and Tbilisi is clearly observed.
 
“There have not been any real efforts on the part of any of the parties involved in the conflict to engage in a real dialogue… Maybe there have not been enough contacts at various levels and as a result of a lack of contacts, the degree of confidence has not been allowed to evolve between those involved in the conflict,” Peter Semneby said.
 
He said that final resolution of the conflict does not only depend on Tbilisi and Tskhinvali, “there is large responsibility on the part of Russia.”   
 
“And against this perspective as well, it is troubling that the relations between Georgia and Russia have not allowed a serious dialogue to take place on the resolution of this conflict between Georgia and Russia,” Semneby said.
 
He also recommended the conflicting parties not to draw any parallels with the situation in Kosovo, because “all the conflict situations are so complicated and they contain so many specific elements that it is impossible to talk about any one conflict serving as a precedent for another.”
 
The EU envoy also commented on Georgia’s possible quitting the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), saying that “it is Georgia’s sovereign right to decide to which organization it wants to belong.”
 
He also added that before making a decision about quitting the CIS, Georgia should weigh the benefits against the disadvantages.