GEORGIAN-OSETIAN CRISIS

Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
June 18, 2004

After the settlement of the Adzharian problem at the end of May Mikhail
Sahakashvili, pursuing his plan of restoring territorial integrity
of the country, undertook steps directed at the settlement of the
South-Osetian problem. Russian forces were deployed in the territory of
South Osia, according to the authorities, for the aim of prevention
of smuggling. And the minister of home affairs of Georgia Georgy
Bayramidzeh announced that the actions of the Russian peacemakers are
the evidence to the fact that not only the Tskhinvali separatists
but also the Russian “blue helmets” profit from smuggling. In his
turn the head public prosecutor of Georgia Irakli Okruashvili stated
that the times when Russian peacemakers dictated their will have
passed already. At the same time Mikhail Sahakashvili mentioned that
the government of Georgia has established good relationships with
Russia. Mentioning about his telephone talk with Putin president
Sahakashvili said, “We cooperate in a number of spheres, including
struggle against terrorism,” and emphasized that he considers the
present situation as willful actions of the local soldiers. At the
same time he added that after they had received guarantees that they
would not touch their block-posts he decided to withdraw the main units
and return to Tbilisi. The Osetian side gives a different evaluation
to the situation. According to the president of South Osia Edward
Kokoyti, the Georgian party undertakes wide-scale actions directed
at destabilization of the situation in South Osia. “Connected with
the reluctance of Georgia to negotiate and implement the agreements
achieved, the South-Osetian party announces about breaking all types
of relationships with Georgia except for work in the joint working
group and the joint group of experts,” stated Kokoyti. He mentioned
that the relationships would not be resumed until Georgia provided
a number of conditions: adoption of the law on restitution, that is
restoring the rights of Georgian refugees. Second, the parliament of
Georgia must give a political evaluation to the events of 1989-1991
and recognize the genocide of the South-Osetian population. Third,
the Georgian party must pay indemnity which totals 34 billion roubles
by the prices of 1991, said Kokoyti. Russia also gave its official
opinion on these events. The department of information and press of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia mentions that the Georgian
party did not implement all the arrangements made during the meeting
of the co-chairman of the Joint Control Commission in Tskhinvali on
June 2. So far the Georgian military units have not been withdrawn
from the Georgian-Osetian conflict area which are there without the
consent of the Joint Control Commission. The Russian party as well,
in the face of the first vice minister of Russia Valeria Loshinina
expressed serious anxiety to the ambassador of the USA in Russia in
reference to the fact that during the diversionary actions in South
Osia the military units trained within the framework of the American
programs of military cooperation with Georgia were used. It should be
mentioned that as formerly for Mikhail Sahakashvili the relationships
with Russia are very important. He announced that Georgia does not
intend taking hasty actions for the region of Tskhinvali (South Osia)
in this context and does not plan any concrete steps for the upcoming
month. In the conflict area against the background of deployment
of Georgian forces, which aggravated the situation, the visits of
ministers and officials of other ranks to South Osia have become
rather frequent. The governor personally took building materials to
that country, the vice minister of building wearing a white shirt
and a tie builds a road, the minister of education himself brings
computers, and the minister of sport brings football players to
play with the “village team”, writes the Russian news agency Regnum.
Accusations are made by the Georgian party as well. The head of the
committee on defence and national security of the Georgian parliament
Givi Targamadzeh announced that Russia brought 150 cars with forces,
weapon and ammunition to the territory of South Osia. According to him,
among them 120 are citizens of South Osia. In his turn the leader
of South Osia denied these news. At the same time Edward Kokoyti
arrived in Moscow with the request to join the Republic of South
Osia to the Russian Federation. The leader of Osia intends extending
the document to the Federal Duma of Russia and president Putin. The
message contains an appeal of creating unified Osia within the Russian
Federation. By the way, after the aggravation of the situation in
South Osia the leaders of this republic openly declare that there are
forces, especially in the other non-recognized republics, which will
aid Osia in case of threat of military aggression. It was mentioned
that there are certain agreements among these republics. In this
announcement the names of Abkhazia and Transdnestrie are mentioned
but not of Karabakh. The minister of foreign affairs of South Osia
Murad Jioev mentioned in his interview to the agency Regnum, “We are
in close cooperation with Karabakh, mainly in the political sphere,
which is first of all manifested in the relationships between the
foreign ministries of our republics. Being separate from the point
of view of territory hinders economic cooperation although we have
common economic interests with Karabakh. Unfortunately no top level
meetings have been organized between our republics but there is always
assistance through letters, telephone and other means, exchange of
delegations takes place.”

NAIRA HAYRUMIAN