OSCE Chairman-in-Office Visits S.Ossetia Conflict Zone

OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht said on June 23 after two-day talks in Tbilisi and Tskhinvali that he wanted “to have direct dialogue with the sides to invite them to invest jointly in peace and security.”

Karel De Gucht’s visit to Georgia came less than two weeks after the western donors pledged up to EUR 8 million for South Ossetia rehabilitation at the conference in Brussels on June 14, which was held under the OSCE Belgium Chairmanship.

After talks with Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili on June 22 the OSCE Chairman-in-Office said at a news conference that “important part of my visit to Georgia will be to see by my own eyes some of the projects.”
 
On June 23 the OSCE Chairman-in-Office traveled to Tskhinvali and met with South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity.


But this visit was marred by a protest rally, which was held outside the OSCE field office in Tskhinvali on June 22-23 by a group of local residents of the Ossetian village of Zemo Prisi demanding from the OSCE mission to help removal of the Georgian police post near the village. According to the Georgian officials, protesters, who damaged tires of OSCE mission’s vehicles, were blocking the field office.


Protesters stopped rallying after the police post was removed on June 23. The South Ossetian side has also removed its police post on the same day near the Georgian village of Avnevi, according to the commander of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces Marat Kulakhmetov. Removal of the police posts came as a result of a verbal agreement between Georgian Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili and his South Ossetian ‘counterpart’ Mikhail Mindzaev on June 22.


Although Merabishvili and Mindzaev failed to sign any formal agreement, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office hailed these talks as “encouraging.”


During the visit to Tskhinvali the OSCE Chairman-in-Office told the South Ossetian leadership that he was aware of “unconstructive actions” and protests which were aimed at disrupting the work of the OSCE  and urged the South Ossetian side “to act responsibly on this and all aspects of security,” according to the OSCE mission in Tbilisi.


The South Ossetian side is frequently accusing the OSCE observers on the ground of “biased reporting” on the situation in the conflict zone – allegation which has been voiced for several times by the Russian officials as well.


During the talks with visiting OSCE Chairman-in-Office South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity noted again that OSCE observers “often provide biased information to their top leadership.”


But Kokoity also tried to show a constructive stance and expressed hope that De Gucht’s visit “will promote active participation of the OSCE in the conflict resolution.”


The South Ossetian leader also stressed the importance of donors’ conference to raise funds for the conflict zone’s rehabilitation


“All the issues adopted at this conference will become an important step towards conflict resolution,” he said, according to the South Ossetian Press and Information Committee.


Also in Tskhinvali, Karel De Gucht was briefed on security situation in the conflict zone by the Commander of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces, Maj. Gen. Marat Kulakhmetov.


After talks in the breakaway South Ossetian capital, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office met with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli in Tbilisi, the Georgian media sources reported.


According to the OSCE mission in Tbilisi, during his visit, Minister De Gucht proposed “a number of initiatives to help move the peace process forward and both sides reacted constructively and thus the Chairman-in-Office will further elaborate on the initiatives.” But no details of these proposals are reported.


During his only press conference, which was held shortly after his arrival in Georgia on June 22, Karel De Gucht was asked about his purpose of the visit as it was “uncommon” for the OSCE Chairman-in-Office to come personally to see at the situation and projects on the ground. “I’m Belgian and want to see what happens on the ground,” Karel De Gucht replied.