Kokoity’s Proposal Triggers Cautious Optimism in Tbilisi

Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli and lawmakers expressed “cautious optimism” at the parliamentary hearing on December 20 over the South Ossetian conflict resolution after, as they put it, “positive signs” have emerged following the proposal unveiled by the South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity on December 12.

PM Nogaideli presented at the parliamentary session on Tuesday Tbilisi’s detailed Action Plan, which is a set of objectives and steps that the Georgian authorities intend to undertake to foster a resolution to the South Ossetian conflict in the nearest future so that a final solution can be achieved by the end of 2006. Presentation was followed by Q&A and speeches by individual parliamentarians.

“It is very important, that the model presented by [Eduard] Kokoity in his letter mostly coincides with our peace plan, which gives us a reason to think that it probably is a serious progress,” PM Nogaideli said.

But he also warned that this proposal by Kokoity “should not be used as a mean to drag-out time” for conflict resolution.

The Prime Minister stressed that Russia played a positive role in Kokoity’s recently softened stance.

“Russia’s recent position is very important; I mean Russia’s support to our peace plan [at the OSCE Ministerial Council on December 6]. Russia’s positive role was also felt in this letter of Kokoity. So we need to maximally deepen these positive trends, which have been observed recently in our relations with Russia,” Nogaideli said, but added that the most important is what will be the final outcome of these positive trends.

He said that resolution of this conflict is “possible by peaceful means in a relatively short period of time.”

“Everybody understands that resolution of this conflict is only possible in frames of the Georgia’s territorial integrity… It is absolutely impossible to establish independent state in that region. I think everybody has started to understand this,” PM Nogaideli added.

While answering questions from the opposition parliamentarians, Nogaideli admitted that there are already some delays in implementation of several measures envisaged by the Action Plan, including enforcement of law on restitution.

“Restitution law is little bit delayed. But we needed to thoroughly prepare this law… The draft law has already been discussed at the government’s session. Currently the document is submitted for expertise to the Venice Commission. We expect to finish working over this draft law by mid January and after this the document will be submitted to the Parliament for consideration.

Nogaideli also said that although the Action Plan envisages starting of distribution of pension arrears to the population of South Ossetia from the next year, the 2006 draft state budget does not envisages these funds yet.

“But 2006 state budget envisages investments to rehabilitate schools… including rehabilitation of schools in the Tskhinvali region, both in Georgian and Ossetian villages,” he added.

The opposition parliamentarians from the New Rights and Republican parties criticized authorities for inconsistent approach to the South Ossetian issue, meaning that Tbilisi’s peaceful initiatives were often accompanied by the military rhetoric, mainly voiced by Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili.

“We have a common approach to this issue. He [Irakli Okruashvili] is the member of the governmental commission over South Ossetia and he will act in accordance to our peace plan and in accordance to the President’s policy,” PM Nogaideli said.

Influential parliamentarian from the ruling National Movement party Givi Targamadze, who chairs defense and security committee also commented on this issue in his speech and suggested that “these different intonations” coming from different officials has triggered “Kokoity’s regime to activate efforts towards the peaceful process.”

“Those successful police operation [involving arrests of several officials, including police officer, from breakaway South Ossetia] has demonstrated to Kokoity is very insecure even standing by Russians,” MP Targamadze said.

In his speech MP Davit Gamkrelidze, the leader of New Rights party recalled last summer when armed clashes erupted between the Georgian and South Ossetian forces and said that the Georgian government should give an assessment to those developments, which as he said, hampered peace process in the region.

Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze said that these were “very important hearings” and expressed confidence that the conflict will be solved in “a very short period of time.”

“I am absolutely sure that in a very short period of time we will witness a huge success and I am absolutely sure that conflict in so called South Ossetia is a problem, which our government will be able to solve very soon,” Nino Burjanadze said.

“We are doing everything possible to avoid military confrontation. Everything done by our government, including increased defense spending and armament for our army is aimed at protection of our territorial integrity through peaceful means; as the saying goes: if you want peace, prepare for war… Peaceful resolution of conflicts is our top priority,” she added.