Georgian State Minister Comments on S.Ossetia’s Position Voiced by Russian MFA

Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Goga Khaindrava welcomed South Ossetia’s position, which was articulated in an information note issues by the Russian Foreign Ministry on May 6, that Tskhinvali agrees over Tbilisi”s proposal for a “stage-by-stage” conflict resolution plan. But Khaindrava expressed surprise that this position was voiced by the Russian Foreign Ministry and not by the breakaway region”s leadership itself.

“The fact that the Russian Foreign Ministry makes a comment regarding this issue is somehow unacceptable for us. Kokoity himself could voice his own position; he also has a press office. But, anyway, we welcome this message from wherever it comes from and we are ready for dialogue,” Goga Khaindrava told Civil Georgia on May 6.

He refrained from commenting on Kokoity”s proposal to hold satellite TV debates between the South Ossetian leader and the Georgian President, saying that “it is up to Mikheil Saakashvili to decide [this].” But Khaindrava also added, “TV debates are quite different from negotiations.”

The State Minister also refrained from commenting over official Tbilisi”s position regarding Kokoity”s demand to assess the reasons behind the bloody conflict between Ossetians and Georgians and to condemn those acts by the Georgian politicians which triggered this conflict in the early 90s.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)