Sanakoev Visits Brussels

Dimitri Sanakoev, the head of the provisional administration of South Ossetia, arrived in Brussels on June 23.

The visit, seen as an effort to gain some international credability, will see Sanakoev deliver a speech on his vision on conflict resolution at the 9th session of the EU-Georgian Parliamentary Cooperation Committee on June 26.

Speaking at a news conference on June 22, Sanakoev said he had been invited by Mari-Ann Isler B?guin, a French Member of the European Parliament, and Georgian lawmaker Davit Bakradze – both are co-chairpersons of the EU-Georgian Parliamentary Cooperation Committee.

?This visit marks a turning point in the conflict resolution process,? Bakradze said.

Sanakoev said that meetings with ?EU leaders, diplomats, non-governmental organizations and journalists? were planned during the visit.

?I want to emphasize that for the first time in the history of the European Parliament, I will make a speech in the Ossetian language. We will call on the European Union to be more actively involved in the settlement of the conflict in South Ossetia. We will also speak about the situation in the conflict zone, about our administration’s plans for economic revival and confidence building between Georgians and Ossetians,? Sanakoev said.

He said that he would also call on the EU to increase its funding of economic rehabilitation of the conflict zone.

?We also want to stress the importance of sharing the European experience while elaborating a future model of autonomy [for South Ossetia] within a unified Georgian state,? he added.

He said such a model for South Ossetia ?should fully comply with European standards in terms of preservation and development of the Ossetian language, culture and human rights.?

?This is our answer to those who say that neither governmental nor international organizations want to work with us. It is clear for everybody, that our administration is ready to cooperate with any structures of the European Union or the European Parliament,? Sanakoev said.

Speaking live with Tbilisi-based Imedi TV on June 21, South Ossetian secessionist leader Eduard Kokoity had claimed that ?not a single international organization wants to cooperate? with the Sanakoev administration.

Sanakoev’s visit has received a broad, cross-party welcome in Tbilisi.
 
?It will be very important. Our major task should be to gain international support and we should convince the international community to hold talks with Sanakoev and not with Moscow-backed Kokoity,? MP Kakha Kukava said.

?It will add additional political weight to Sanakoev, this is for sure,? MP Pikria Chikhradze of the New Rights Party said.

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