CTK National News Wire, Czech Rep.
September 5, 2008 Friday 5:26 PM (Central European Time)
Truth about South Ossetia conflict must be found – Czech MP
Moscow/Tskhinvali, Georgia Sept 5 (CTK)
The truth about the recent conflict in the Georgian province of South
Ossetia must be found, Czech deputy Lubomir Zaoralek, opposition
Social Democrat (CSSD) shadow foreign minister, said today.
The conflict in South Ossetia erupted when Georgian units tried to
control this pro-Russian separatist province in early August to which
Russian reacted by military intervention.
Zaoralek is a member of the group of deputies from the Czech Republic,
Armenia and Ukraine who visited Tskhinvali, capital of South Ossetia,
accompanied by Russian legislators.
The Russian ITAR-TASS news agency reported that the deputies had
condemned the Georgian aggression in South Ossetia as a crime against
humanity and demanded that the conflict be investigated.
"It is necessary to search out the truth about what actually happened
there," ITAR-TASS quoted Zaoralek as saying.
"I did not understand the military aim of the operation. Houses of
ordinary people were damaged there. This is a crime against humanity,"
Zaoralek said.
He added he would like to speak about his experiences in the Czech
Chamber of Deputies.
ITAR-TASS reported that the Armenian and Ukrainian deputies had also
called for an international investigation into the conflict.
The delegation visited a neighbourhood in Tskhinvali demolished by the
Georgian intervention. Zaoralek talked to local elderly inhabitants
who recalled shooting and bombing of civilian inhabitants.
Moscow blames the West for siding with Georgia in the conflict and
ignoring the Russian stance that claims the operation’s aim was only
to force Tbilisi to peace.
Russia last week recognised the independence of Georgia’s separatist
provinces South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
The Czech government condemned the Russian operation in Georgia and
called on Russia to withdraw its troops. The Czech Republic officially
supports Georgia’s territorial integrity.
Representatives of the the EU summit on Georgia on Monday did not
agree on any sanctions against Russia, they only decided to postpone
their talks with Russia on a strategic partnership, scheduled for
September 15-16, if Russia does not pull out of Georgia by then.