Burjanadze Talks Tough on Russia’s Reported Peace Plan

Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze said on December 12 that it is not up to Russia to decide what model should be used to solve the South Ossetian and Abkhaz conflicts.

Burjanadze was commenting on the Russian daily Kommersant’s report that Moscow is developing a plan for the resolution of Georgia’s frozen conflicts based on a principle of a “united state” in the form of a confederation uniting Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

“This is not an issue that should be solved by Russia. The model [for the solution of these conflicts] will be agreed by Georgia with the international community, wherein the rights of Abkhazians, Ossetians and other ethnic minorities will be protected,” Burjanadze told reporters.

She also ruled out the possibility of using a Kosovo precedent for Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as argued by Moscow.

“If Russia wants, it can use the Kosovo model on its own soil; it has its own territories and republics for this kind of experiment,” She added.

President Saakashvili declined on December 12 to comment on, as he put it, “Russian media reports” and added that his advice would be “to read the Russian press less.”

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