On the 27th of August Tskhinval was visited by the most dignified delegation in the history of South Ossetia, the delegation from the American Senate – 15 Senators with their wives. The meeting was also attended by the OSCE Chief of Mission Mr. R. Riv.
The delegation was received by the President of the Republic of South Ossetia E. Kokoity. In a short introduction the Head of South Ossetia highly appreciated the efforts of the US political leadership in the process of the Georgian-Ossetian peaceful conflict resolution, particularly in the ceasefire during the Georgian aggression in 2004. Eduard Kokoity underlined the America’s constructive policy and the devotion of the American leadership to peaceful conflict resolutions. It is obvious, said the President, that there are no alternatives to negotiation process. He proposed to look at the problems from different angles, answer the questions, discuss the difficulties and look for touch points. At the same time the Leader of South Ossetia noted that the current negotiation format should be preserved. E. Kokoity reiterated his suggestion: “It is necessary to carry out a meeting on a highest level, with participation of the OSCE Chairman, where we could sign a Memorandum on nonapplicability of force and refuse the threat of using force”.
During the meeting the American Senators confirmed their devotion to peaceful means of conflict resolutions.
The members of the delegation did not have a press-conference or a briefing for journalists, however, the question from a newspaper “South Ossetia” on the Kosovo precedent that in a way could have been a variant of political settlement, Senator MacCane said, that he would very surprised if the Kosovo variant was realized in the context ofSouth-Ossetia”.
This statement from the Senator puts in a doubt the devotion of the United States to peaceful conflict settlement on the territory of the former USSR, as without de jure recognition of the de facto existing independent republics-Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Karabakh the situation should not be expected to get stabilized. Considering the recent statement of Senator R. Lugar on the Russian peacekeepers to be out of conflict zones, it is possible to make a conclusion that the position of some members of the US Senate is destructive and leads to further conflict escalation. The attempt to withdraw Russian peacekeepers and their replacement with international forces will immediately explode the situation and will start military operations. Besides, unilateral unconditional support and encouragement by the US the aggressor-Tbilisi leadership, does not contribute to objective and unbiased approach to the problem.
The position of the leadership and the people of South Ossetia remains the same- to exercise the right for self-determination and independence from Georgia, that does not require any precedents.
The visit of such a dignified delegation means that the leadership of Unites States is worried about the intensification of processes accelerating achievement of independence by South Ossetia: the decision to carry out a referendum on independence, issue of internal passports for citizens of the RSO etc.
The Capitol “landing’” just as the visits of other Western political figures is more like sensing of the situation and the viewpoint of the leadership of the RSO, although it was known for long time and is not going to change in future.
Analytical service of an independent informational agency «IR» Republic of South Ossetia.
