Official in Georgia’s South Ossetia urges merger with Russian neighbour

Regnum, Moscow
8 Aug 05

A round table of political parties and public organizations of the
Republic of North Ossetia – Alania and South Ossetia [part of Georgia]
was held in Vladikavkaz in late July. As a result of the round table,
an address to Russian President Vladimir Putin was adopted calling
for the unification of the two Ossetias. Also, the decision was made
on the unification of political parties of North and South Ossetia.

After the round table, the head of the South Ossetian delegation,
the deputy chairman of the South Ossetian parliament and the chairman
of the committee for foreign policy, defence and security, Yuriy
Dzitstsoytty, answered several questions from a Regnum correspondent.

[Dzitstsoytty] It is very gratifying that the idea was born there,
in North Ossetia, and that the impetus was given from there. This is
very pleasing. We considered several issues, among them the situation
in South Ossetia. The participants in the meeting adopted an address
to President Putin. It is gratifying to note that the project has
been prepared by the North Ossetian side and that our participation
was very insignificant.

We don’t know yet what will come out of this, but it is very comforting
that public organizations and political parties of North Ossetia
are beginning to understand that Ossetia cannot be separated. I was
delighted to see such a broad spectrum of North Ossetian political
parties represented at the meeting, from the communists to the Union
of Right Forces party and the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia.

[Correspondent] What will be the outcome of the unification of
political parties and public organizations of the North and South
Ossetias?

[Dzitstsoytty] I think this is a healthy and very good idea.
Unification can’t happen overnight or through the adoption of one
particular act. It takes place at the level of people. This is a
business in which northern and southern Ossetians are involved. The
unification also takes place at the level of parliaments. I suggested
at the meeting that the interparliamentary assembly of the two
Ossetias, which was established in 1996, be re-established. And the
idea went down quite well. The unification of political parties is
another major step towards a single Ossetia.

[Correspondent] The fraternal republics have repeatedly agreed
to maintain cooperation over the last 15 years that have passed
since the break-up of the USSR. However such agreements were purely
declarative. Being a “poor relation”, South Ossetia had no privileges
or other perks from its northern brother, but 2003 can be considered
as the year that kick-started the implementation of the programme of
socioeconomic integration of the two Ossetias. What is your assessment
of the current state of integration between North and South Ossetia?

[Dzitstsoytty] The level of integration is actually very high. We
have to consider the fact that there have been no interruptions
in power supplies of late and the construction of a gas pipeline
has started. The only problem is the ill-famed customs service. It
needs to be strictly controlled on the part of the North Ossetian
administration. I have repeatedly crossed the Russian-Ukrainian,
Russian-Polish, Polish-German, French, Armenian borders, but never
encountered such lengthy delays and inspections.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress