Putin Refuses to Visit Georgia
Georgian officials confirmed death of three Georgian servicemen as a result of shootouts, which erupted at 10 pm local time on August 18. This latest report brings the death toll of the Georgian soldiers to 12 since August 12.
Earlier Georgian media report about death of seven Georgian servicemen, which was not officially confirmed.
Both sides accuse each other of opening fire. Georgian officials say the South Ossetian side opened fire just few hours after talks between Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Goga Khaindrava and separatist leader Eduard Kokoev in Tskhinvali. The Georgian villages of Eredvi and Vanati came under heavy fire immediately following these talks.
However, the South Ossetian side reported that it was in fact the Georgian troops who attacked the Ossetian villages of Sarabuk and Tliakani.
As a result of talks the South Ossetian and Georgian sides exchanged prisoners. Three Georgian soldiers, detained in early July, were released in exchange for one South Ossetian who was also detained in July for transporting an anti-tank guided missile system “Fagot.”
Georgian officials intend to make a statement over the recent developments in the conflict zone on August 19. “This situation can not last for ever. We will make decisions which will be the most appropriate. I can not say anything else now, I think we will make a statement soon,” Nino Burjanadze, Georgian Parliamentary Chairperson, who participated in the overnight consultations with President Saakashvili, told reporters in early hours of August 19.
Several other top Georgian ministers also held consultations with President Saakashvili during the night regarding the situation in the conflict zone. Georgian Security Minister Vano Merabishvili paid a brief overnight visit to the village of Eredvi. He also told reporters that the Georgian government will make a statement over South Ossetian “soon.”
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin canceled his scheduled visit to Georgia in autumn, amid increasing tensions in breakaway South Ossetia. He said on August 18 that his visit to Georgia will be “inappropriate” at the moment.
“We have discussed the possibility of a visit by me to Georgia with our Georgian colleagues, but I think my trip will be inappropriate at the moment, taking into account the situation there [in South Ossetia],” Russian news agencies quoted Vladimir Putin as saying.
During a meeting in Moscow in February of this year, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and his Russian counterpart agreed over Putin’s visit to Georgia in September.
Vladimir Putin also denounced Tbilisi’s position that the conflict in South Ossetia has turned into a conflict between the two counties – Russia and Georgia. Tbilisi is accusing Moscow of backing South Ossetian separatists.
“I want to remind people that this conflict [in South Ossetia] erupted after the collapse of the Soviet Union. After becoming independent, Georgia announced that it would revoke the autonomous status of South Ossetia. An ethnic conflict erupted after this very foolish decision,” Vladimir Putin said.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on August 18 expressing protest over the presence of Russian fighters, particularly Cossacks, in the breakaway region which fight against the Georgian troops. The Georgian Foreign Ministry statement reads: “the Russian Federation is responsible for all illegal acts committed by its citizens against a sovereign state [Georgia].”
Meanwhile, Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili called for an international conference on the Georgian-Ossetian conflict while addressing a special session of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on August 18. On August 18 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov denounced Georgia’s initiative, saying there is no need to hold an international conference.
The Chairman of the Permanent Council, Bulgarian Ambassador Ivo Petrov, welcomed Georgia’s request over the international conference, however he added, that “the most important thing at the moment is to get a ceasefire.”
Salome Zourabichvili also said the OSCE should be fully involved in efforts to find a peaceful and lasting solution. Salome Zourabichvili called for an increase in the number of OSCE monitors on the ground.
