Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili presented a vision for resolving the South Ossetian conflict at the PACE session in Strasbourg on January 26.
Saakashvili said: “our vision for a united and peaceful Georgia is based on respect for the desire – and respect for the right – to South Ossetian Autonomy.”
Proposals include:
A “distinctly broader form” of autonomy in comparison with the Soviet Union, and broader than that accorded the Republic of North Ossetia.
A constitutional guarantee of Autonomy that includes their right to freely and directly elected local self-governance – including an Executive Branch and a Parliament for South Ossetia.
Governance:
South Ossetia’s parliament will have control over issues such as culture, education, social policy, economic policy, public order, organization of local self-governance and environmental protection.
At the same time South Ossetia would have a voice in the national structures of government as well, with a constitutional guarantee of representation in the national government, judicial and constitutional-judicial branches and in the Parliament.
Social Rights:
Saakashvili stated that Georgia would commit to improving the economic and social conditions of South Ossetian inhabitants by:
- Granting language rights and status by decentralizing education policy and by committing funds from the Georgian budget;
- Dedicating government funds to the rehabilitation of the economy, including critical infrastructure;
- Ensuring South Ossetia’s Participation in internationally funded economic projects;
- Creating conditions for the development of small and medium sized enterprises;
- Discussing innovative development ideas such as free economic zones and easing border crossings with Russia;
- Allowing the South Ossetian authorities to determine and control their economic policies.
Saakashvili also offered to enact a special law on property restitution that will make generous payments to victims of the 1990-92 conflict and said that pension arrears would be paid to those who have been denied state benefits.
President Saakashvili went on to add that a special commission will be established to deal with unresolved property disputes as well as one to deal with allegations of crimes against the population and mentioned a guarantee of the right of those who fled to return and that this return would be backed by state-sponsored financial assistance.
Security:
Saakashvili proposed a transitional 3-year conflict resolution period, during which time:
Mixed Georgian and Ossetian police forces, under the guidance and auspices of international organizations, would be established;
Ossetian forces would gradually be integrated into a united Georgian Armed Force.
Internationally-guaranteed process:
Saakashvili also said that the international community should play a more “significant” and “visible” role in solving this conflict.
The Georgian President envisages a resolution of the conflict in South Ossetia as an internationally guaranteed process, wherein:
• the Council of Europe acts as a peace facilitator;
• the OSCE as a peace monitor;
• the EU as a peace guarantor;
• the US as a peace supporter;
• Russia as a welcome and constructive partner.
Pdf version of the statement is available on the CoE website.