Russia has accused Tbilisi of violating all accords on a peaceful settlement of Georgia’s conflicts with Abkhazia and South Ossetia and reproached the USA for its support of Georgia’s actions in a draft resolution introduced on Tuesday to the UN Security Council.
Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said that Georgia derails the current negotiations and peace format and dashes any hope for political progress.
The recent bomb explosions in Abkhazia and bombardments of South Ossetia have caused deaths and injuries. The Abkhazian authorities believe that Georgia is attempting to frustrate the summer season by means of terrorist acts. On July 4, Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia, was bombarded from the Georgian territory by using mortars, rocket launchers, and firearms.
Allies
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in a written statement that there is an urgent need for an international police presence and called upon Russia not to obstruct the peaceful settlement process.
Naturally, Abkhazia refused by saying that it would not allow any peacekeeping forces but Russian in its territory. Today Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has left for Georgia to support Tbilisi’s sacred struggle for territorial integrity. In her opinion, Georgia’s accession to NATO or at least its participation in the Action Plan would be the best instrument of US assistance to that country.
Europeans keep away from the conflict. EU special representative in the South Caucasus Peter Semnebi has made it clear that the EU will consider the opinion of both parties to the conflict, not one.
What Does Russia Want?
The recent violence in both unrecognized republics has impelled Russia into resolute action at the UN.
According to Churkin, Russia wants the Security Council to adopt a resolution imposing a ban on the use of armed forces and demanding compliance with the previous UN instruments to that effect and the Moscow accords of 1994.
The Georgian position was expressed by Shota Malashia, chairman of the provisional parliamentary commission for territorial integrity: only international interference can help.
Russia would welcome both the resolution and a broad discussion of the issue, because the international community should learn more about the position of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Evgeniya Novikova
Photo: ITAR-TASS
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