Commission on S.Ossetia Status Convened

A government commission to define South Ossetia?s status will convene its first session in the evening on July 24.

Commission, chaired by PM Zurab Nogaideli, includes cabinet members as well as representatives of the Ossetian community selected at the assembly on July 22.

Georgian lawmakers, including some from opposition parties, are also expected to join the commission. It is still, however, unclear who exactly will be nominated.

Davit Bakradze, the state minister for conflict resolution issues, said on July 23 that the Georgian side had invited communities from Tskhinvali to participate in the work of the commission.

?In this regard we have already urged the de facto authorities in Tskhinvali to be cooperative and not to obstruct those willing to be involved in the commission,? Bakradze said in an interview with the Georgian Public Broadcaster.

He also said that there were three major principles on which the status would be built: Georgia?s territorial integrity, strong political and cultural guarantees for South Ossetia and human rights.

Bakradze said that the process of developing South Ossetia?s status would be ?painful, long and laborious.?

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