|
SOUTH OSSETIA STATUS: LOOKING FOR A NEW APPROACH
GHIA NODIA,
Political Scientist, Director of the Caucasian Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development, Tbilisi, Georgia
On July 24 Tbilisi hosted the first meeting of the State Committee on the status of South Ossetia. The Committee is intended to settle the conflict between Tbilisi and the current administration of President of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity and to work out an approach to resolving the argument about South Ossetia’s status that would be acceptable both to Georgia and South Ossetia.
That’s why the Committee’s work is as transparent as possible. Georgia would like all the countries involved in the argument settlement to take part in the Committee’s work. Russia and the European Union’s participation is of importance to Georgia. One can suppose that Russia will refuse to participate in the Committee.
There is a hope that the EU will take part in this process. The delegation headed by the EU special representative on the Caucasus has arrived in Georgia. They may lend the expert support to the Committee. The Council of Europe can do the same. It means that all the patterns to settle the argument with South Ossetia can undergo the international examination.
Tbilisi is also interested in South Ossetia’s participation. Eduard Kokoity’s administration has been invited to the Committee, but it is clear that President of South Ossetia refuses to come.
Georgia is also ready to establish good relations with other South Ossetian representatives attending the first meeting.
The point is that Eduard Kokoity’s administration does not represent the majority of the South Ossetian society. There are other figures enjoying popularity and esteem in South Ossetia. Some people support President of South Ossetia unambiguously and others support head of the provisional administration Dmitry Sanakoev. However, most people are pragmatists and those may back either Kokoity or Sanakoev’s approach.
Those approaches are quite different. Dmitry Sanakoev comes out for granting South Ossetia broad autonomy within Georgia, while Eduard Kokoity rejects that. Dmitry Sanakoev is for the relations between Georgia and South Ossetia without the mediation of Russia, but Eduard Kokoity insists on Russia’s mediation.
Naturally, the Committee seeks to work out the approach that would be considerably supported by the South Ossetian population and obtain the international recognition.
July 26, 2007
|
