Saakashvili Proposes ‘Stage-by-Stage’ Conflict Settlement Plan

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said while addressing the UN General Assembly Session on September 21, that Tbilisi is proposing a new “stage by stage settlement plan” for the South Ossetia and Abkhazia conflicts.

He outlined three steps which he said are “designed to speed resolutions” of the South Ossetian and Abkhazian conflicts: confidence building; demilitarization of the conflict areas and internationalization of the peacekeeping operations; and offering the breakaway regions the “broadest form of autonomy.”

“Step One is to initiate confidence building measures… These measures can include exchanges that link NGO’s to NGO’s…students to students…journalists to journalists…health care workers to health care workers…athletes to athletes…and mothers to mothers,” Mikheil Saakashvili said.

He added that building confidence means “pursuing joint economic projects that create wealth.”

Step Two focuses on specific measures, including removing the instruments of war through demilitarization and eliminating the climate of fear through decriminalization, said the Georgian President.

“These elements can be conducted in parallel with some of the confidence building measures,” he added.

He also called for internationalization of the peacekeeping operations in the conflict zones. “We need also need to internationalize the peacekeeping forces and introduce a generally international format,” Mikheil Saakashvili added.

“Step Three envisions a global solution with global guarantees that lead to the establishment of the fullest and broadest form of autonomy… one that protects culture and language, guarantees self governance, fiscal control and meaningful representation in national government,” the Georgian President said.

Mikheil Saakashvili also said that the breakaway regions in Georgia, which are, as he put it, “black holes,” breed crime, drug trafficking, arms trading and, most notably, terrorism.

“These lawless zones have the potential to affect European security as long as they remain unresolved… [the International community] can no longer afford to ignore the security risks that emanate from these Black Holes and smugglers’ safe havens,” he added.

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