| The situation around South Ossetia continues to remain tense. Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Georgiy KHAINDRAVA, in an interview with Vremya Novostei, spoke about what needs to be done after the Moscow round of negotiations, which took place on July 15.
-- When will the new meeting of the co-chairs of the Joint Control Commission take place?
— At the end of July, most likely in Tbilisi. It is necessary to continue negotiations to relieve tension in the conflict zone. To do this, you need to withdraw all formations that do not have the right to be there. And in general, it is necessary to demilitarize the region. This will make it possible to better approach direct negotiations with the Ossetians on a political solution to the problem, including on the status of South Ossetia (the former autonomous region within Georgia declared independence in 1990 - Ed. ). To restore trust, it is necessary to release three Georgian police officers who were captured in Tskhinvali on July 7.
-- South Ossetia says it has withdrawn volunteers or mercenaries who arrived from Abkhazia, Transnistria, and the North Caucasus.
- We raised the issue of conducting monitoring to make sure that there are no them or other destructive forces there. As long as there is a lack of trust between the parties, such monitoring could be carried out by the Joint Peacekeeping Force together with OSCE observers.
—What can you say about the role of Russian mediators?
- The ice has broken. Russia has begun to show an understanding that uncontrolled enclaves with armed people and equipment cannot exist indefinitely. After all, this harms her interests. These are dangerous trends for both Russia and Georgia. Moreover, all Tskhinvali’s statements about independence or joining Russia are nothing more than an adventure and political illusions.
-- Speaking about uncontrolled weapons, you apparently mean the Fagot anti-tank missile systems detained on Sunday in the conflict zone?
- The detention of such powerful and serious weapons in the conflict zone only confirms everything that we talked about at the meetings in Moscow. Again there is a movement of weapons around the conflict zone, again there is no proper control. Moreover, Russian peacekeepers are somehow involved in this. This causes our concern, and this is happening against the backdrop of the negotiation process. Therefore, mandatory control is needed everywhere in South Ossetia and the Roki tunnel.
- But after the Georgian-Ossetian conflict, every Ossetian family probably has a weapon.
“That’s why we are talking about complete demilitarization.” The conflict is based on illegal weapons. This is a political-military conflict, not an ethnic conflict, not a conflict between people. Yes, there are shootouts. But, thank God, there are no incidents between Georgians and Ossetians.
-- In Tbilisi they say that the President of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity may share the fate of the former leader of Adjara Aslan Abashidze and leave his homeland, going to Russia.
- We are ready to talk and negotiate with him. For now, Kokoity has this chance, but the time may soon come when such an opportunity will be missed.
--Will Tbilisi raise the issue of internationalizing peacekeepers in South Ossetia?
- Hardly. For now, we are talking about expanding the zone of their responsibility into the depths of South Ossetia.
-- Will Tbilisi continue to insist on setting up a joint post in the Roki tunnel?
-- Necessarily.
— During the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict, you were the Minister of State for Abkhazia. After the war, they returned to directing and made the film “Cemetery of Dreams” about Georgians and Abkhazians separated by the conflict. Do you want to make a film about South Ossetia?
- There is a desire to remove it, but there is no time. I would call this film “Time of Epiphany.” Interviewed by Mikhail VIGNANSKY, Tbilisi
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