How they want it

As it turned out, Russia and the EU have different understandings of some details of the document containing additions to the Medvedev-Sarkozy plan. In any case, Nicolas Sarkozy himself supported Mikheil Saakashvili’s statement that international observers would operate not only in the buffer zone around Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but also in the republics themselves. As Kommersant writes on September 10, Saakashvili, at a night press conference held together with Sarkozy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, waved a certain piece of paper and said that the signatures of Sarkozy and Barroso were “under the obligation that EU observers will act on the territory of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and not just in the territories around them.” “And also,” he threatened, “we will force everyone who interferes with this to agree to the return of all Georgian refugees from Abkhazia and South Ossetia, starting in 1992. The EU and the US have mechanisms to achieve this goal.” Meanwhile, this turned out to be not the document that Medvedev and then Saakashvili signed in Moscow - that document stated, on the contrary, that additional forces of EU observers should be deployed “in the zones adjacent to South Ossetia and Abkhazia.” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov emphasized on both September 9 and 10 that Russian troops control both republics and ensure their security, and international observers will be stationed around the republics. And the document that Saakashvili was waving, according to the minister, has no meaning for Russia, even if it contains the signatures of Sarkozy and Barroso. “Echo of Moscow” quotes Lavrov’s following words regarding the fact that European leaders signed this document: “Firstly, this is not true. Secondly, this is an absolutely dishonest attempt not to honestly explain to Mr. Saakashvili what obligations the European Union has assumed and what obligations Russia has assumed, but to follow Mr. Saakashvili’s lead.” Meanwhile, it became known that near the Georgian village of Karapeti, Gori region, a Georgian policeman was wounded in the head and arm and died soon after. Russian forces naturally deny any involvement in his death. As Gazeta.Ru reported with reference to a representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, law enforcement officers of the country are not allowed into the territory from where the shooting took place.