Russian Diplomat Comments over South Ossetia

Russian Foreign Ministry?s special envoy Lev Mironov, who was actively engaged in all recent talks over the Georgia?s breakaway South Ossetia, said at a news briefing in Moscow on September 10, that it will be possible to launch negotiations over the political status of South Ossetia ?only after the stabilization of situation in the conflict zone.?

?At the moment the sides have absolutely contradictory positions [over the status]. Tbilisi wants South Ossetia to join Georgia with the autonomous status, while Tskhinvali insists on South Ossetia?s independence. The solution can be found in the middle of these two positions,? RIA Novosti news agency quotes Lev Mironov as saying.

However, he added, ?it is difficult to imagine granting of a broad autonomy to South Ossetia, the similar to that which the North Ossetian Republic has in Russia.? ?Russia is Federation, while Georgia ? the unitary state,? the Russian diplomat said.

Lev Mironov also said that Moscow supports the proposal over top-level meeting between the South Ossetian and Georgian sides.

?Meeting between [the Georgian Prime Minister] Zurab Zhvania and [the South Ossetian de facto President] Eduard Kokoev should be held. They should discuss the issues related to non-resumption of activities, which might lead to escalation of tensions,? Lev Mironov said.

The Russian diplomat also commented on possible increase of the international organizations role in the conflict settlement issues. Tbilisi insists on expansion of the OSCE?s mandate in South Ossetia.

Lev Mironov reiterated Russia?s position over this issue, that ?expansion of the current mandate will be counterproductive.?