Commentary of the Presidential Envoy of South Ossetia on post-conflict settlement Murat Dzhioev given in his interview with the news agency "Res", due to the resolution "On the foreign policy lines of Georgia", recently adopted by the Georgian Parliament, which has included relations between Georgia and the Republic of South Ossetia.
In essence, the resolution "On the foreign policy lines of Georgia" adopted by the current composition of the Georgian Parliament, is not much different from those documents, previously adopted by the Georgian authorities. This resolution was passed, in particular, in response to the demands of the opposition to the government to define clearly its foreign policy priorities in favor of the Western partners, who ordered Ivanishvili "do not ruin the European dream of Georgia." I think that the opposition (and the forces that have recently been in power), and the Western patrons of Georgia are satisfied, because the current government does not change the foreign policy and values honored in the foreign policy under the absolute reign of Saakashvili.
Regarding the position of the new Georgian authorities on the problem of normalization of relations with the neighboring Republic of South Ossetia and the Republic of Abkhazia, it also did not change much (except for trying to put a good face on a bad situation) -the same aggressive rhetoric, the same offensive expressions inherited even not from Saakashvili, but even from Gamsakhurdia. Georgian authorities continue to pretend that there are not the states named the Republic of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, really existing and formed on the same international legal basis (only more legally) as Georgia. They continue to use the terms "territorial integrity within the internationally recognized borders," "de-occupation ", having no political and legal basis. It turns out that Georgia does not want to recognize the reality, and the real policy cannot be built on illusions.
In South Ossetia it has not evoked enthusiasm the expression fixed in the preamble to the resolution that the Georgian parliamentarians confirm "Georgia's commitments to non-use of force, which the Georgian president took upon himself before the international community during a speech in the European Parliament in Strasbourg." As learned by experience, Georgian authorities can make commitments as easily, as easily they can violate them, a classic example of which is a statement of Saakashvili on the Georgian TV in the evening of August 7, 2008, when he assured everyone that he would not employ weapons against the Ossetians. He took the oath only for a few hours. One could remember a lot of such examples.
Moreover, neither in the statement of Saakashvili in Strasbourg, nor in the resolution of the Georgian Parliament is said a word, that Georgia would not use force against South Ossetia. Taking into consideration that the Georgian authorities do not recognize the Republic of South Ossetia, but actively use the revanchist rhetoric and terminology, people of South Ossetia cannot accept such statements as the security guaranty. Such guarantee may only be a legally binding bilateral agreement on non-use of force with solid international guarantees.
The Geneva discussions conducted in accordance with the agreements by Medvedev and Sarkozy are aimed at drafting such an agreement to ensure the security of South Ossetia by Georgia. The Geneva process is not a dialogue between Georgia and Russia as considered by the Georgian parliamentarians, but a multilateral format, in which South Ossetia and Abkhazia are involved on an equal basis with other participants.
How ready are the Georgian authorities to work on the real ensuring of security and good neighborly relations in the region - will show the next round of the Geneva talks and time.
