Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania and South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoev signed an agreement on November 5 envisaging the demilitarization of the South Ossetian conflict zone before November 20, the of securing free movement of the population there, the implementation of joint economic projects and the increase of the number of OSCE observers in the conflict zone. As anticipated, the South Ossetian side once again Tbilisi’s demand for joint control of the Roki Pass, which links the breakaway region with the Russian Federation.
“Under full demilitarization we mean the withdrawal of so called South Ossetian Defense Ministry forces from the conflict zone. Only the joint [Russian-Georgian-Ossetian] peacekeeping troops should remain there,” Zurab Zhvania told reporters after talks with Kokoev.
“We made it clear that the Georgian government’s supreme goal is the country’s territorial integrity, but we have also made it clear that our choice is to achieve this solely through peaceful means, through negotiations,” he added.
| Main provisions of agreement include: |
| • Pull out of non-peacekeeping forces before November 20; • Free movement of goods and people; • Cooperation of law enforcement agencies; • Launching discussions over joint economic projects. |
During the talks, Zhvania said that Georgia’s new authorities enjoy popular support in the country and are able to make compromises in order to solve the conflict. But he added that Georgia will not make any compromises at the expense of the country’s territorial integrity.
Eduard Kokoev said that the South Ossetian side is ready for political dialogue. “We have absolutely opposite positions regarding South Ossetia’s status, but the issue of status was not discussed during the meeting,” South Ossetian leader told reporters in Sochi after the talks.
He also said that the Georgian side’s attempts to deliver an Adjarian scenario of a peaceful power transition in South Ossetia are doomed to fail. “An Adjara scenario has already failed in South Ossetia,” Kokoev added.
But Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili downplayed the Sochi talks on November 5. “I don’t have any illusions regarding the meeting between Zurab [Zhvania] and that man [referring to Eduard Kokoev] who does not make a step without consultations with Moscow,” Mikheil Saakashvili said.
Talks in Sochi were held all day long and were attended by delegations from the Georgian, South Ossetian, North Ossetian and Russian sides. The Russian side was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Valery Loshchinin. Head of the OSCE Mission to Georgia Roy Reeve also participated in the meeting. Zhvania and Kokoev also held a one-hour, face-to-face meeting as well.
The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on November 6 which described the Sochi talks as “very constructive.” The statement also outlined those main provisions which have been agreed during the talks:
• Withdrawal of all military units, except the joint peacekeeping units, before November 20;
• The involved sides should provide a list of the police personnel involved in the area which includes their exact whereabouts;
• Securing free movement of the goods and people;
• Not to deploy forces/checkpoints in the conflict zone without prior notification of the Joint Control Commission (JCC), which oversees the implementation of agreements;
• Secure coordinated actions of the law enforcement agencies of the conflicting sides;
• Launching of discussions of joint economic projects at the next session of the JCC;
• To hold a JCC session in order to oversee the implementation of agreed provisions within ten days.
According to a statement issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry, the sides have welcomed both Russia’s and the OSCE’s positive roles in conflict resolution process.
Georgian Deputy Security Minister Batu Kutelia, who was a member of the Georgian delegation, told Civil Georgia on November 6 that the sides have also agreed over increasing the number of OSCE observers in the conflict zone.
He also said that the Georgian side pushed the issue of joint monitoring of the Roki Pass but that this issue was categorically rejected by the South Ossetian side. Tbilisi seeks control over the vital tunnel at the Roki Pass, as it links the breakaway region with neighboring Russia’s North Ossetian Republic.
“The next [round of] top-level talks might take place after November 20, but the exact time or the venue is not yet fixed,” the Georgian Deputy Security Minister told Civil Georgia.