The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is desperately trying to save its Mission, which should finally leave the Caucasus end of June. On 13 May, Permanent Council of the OSCE with representatives of the 56 member states is planning to discuss another variant of further activities of this Organization in Georgia and South Ossetia.
The key difference of the new plan from previous ones is that the OSCE had eventually realized the changed geopolitical realities and is ready to refrain from nation or state binding implications for the new mission. It is still hard to predict how it would look like in reality but it is already clear that no one will allow such organization as "OSCE Mission to Georgia in South Ossetia.
On the other hand, the OSCE is not ready to agree with creation of an "OSCE Mission to South Ossetia" either, since from the European point of view this means recognition of the Republic of South Ossetia, and the EU is still insisting on pro-Georgian positions, It is likely that if the decision is made, a group of observers will gain some neutral title like "OSCE Mission in the Zone of Georgian-Ossetian Conflict". However, this variant does not please Western representatives – this way or another, they should admit that the confrontation between Tbilisi and Tskhinval was of inter-ethnic, but not the notorious "internal political" problem.
So, the title for the new monitoring mission is still open, while technical details of their activities already appeared in media. Western media sources were able to find out that the new plan under discussion envisages deployment of OSCE monitors simultaneously on Georgian and on South Ossetian territories. According to the draft, respective offices will be established in Tskhinval and Karaleti, with a noticeable difference in numbers – 22 observers are to be deployed on the Georgian territory and 8 in the RSO. In fact, this division of force is sound – it is the Georgian side, which needs control from the outside, since Tbilisi is unable to cope with its own aggressive intentions. The Armed Forces of Georgia more often get out of hands of the Georgian authorities (the recent incident in Mukhrovani is one of the examples). The only question is how objective the OSCE will record facts happening on the Georgian side of the border, and if their activities are not going to turn into farce witnessed by Ossetians in August 2008.
So, the issue of OSCE monitors' presence in the Caucasus is still to be settled by the meeting in Vienna. If the decision is eventually made, representatives of European structures should try to neutralize the negative perception towards them among the population in South Ossetia, when the Organization had done nothing to prevent the bloodshed and massacre in August 2008.
