Tbilisi to Push South Ossetia Status in case of Top-Level Talks

Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania told reporters on August 31, that the status of breakaway South Ossetia should be the only subject of discussion in case of his negotiations with President of self-styled republic Eduard Kokoev.

“We were pushing the issue of bilateral meeting in order to achieve a ceasefire in the conflict zone. The ceasefire was achieved due to the Georgian side’s efforts [when Tbilisi decided to pullback troops from the conflict zone on August 20]. Now only the status of the region will be put on the agenda in case of talks,” Zurab Zhvania said.

“Now this kind of talks must be accurately prepared,” he added.

The South Ossetian side has recently called on Tbilisi for holding talks between Kokoev and Zhvania “on the neutral territory.”

The Russian news agencies quoted South Ossetian de facto government’s spokesperson Irina Gagloeva as saying: “Tbilisi and Batumi can not be the venues.”

She also ruled out Bulgarian capital Sofia, saying that “Bulgaria had been providing Georgia with arms.”

OSCE Chairman-in-Office and the Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy offered the conflicting sides to hold talks in Sofia.