The X meeting of the Inter-parliamentary Assembly (IPA) of the Member States Community "For Democracy and Human Rights" has been held in the capital of South Ossetia. It was attended by parliamentary delegations of Abkhazia, Transnistria, South Ossetia, as well as members of the legislative body of the Republic.
Speaker of the South Ossetian Parliament, a Chairman of the IPA Stanislav Kochiev greeted the participants of the meeting.
He has informed the audience that instead of the Chairman of the Supreme Council of the TMR, IPA Secretary General Grigory Marakutsa, the Transnistrian delegation is represented by a member of the Supreme Council of the TMR, a Chairman of the Commission on Social Policy and Public Health of IPA Sergey Chaban. The Abkhaz delegation was headed by the RA MP Vagharshak Kosyan.
The speaker has also expressed his condolences to the Abkhazian delegation in connection with the tragedy taken place 20 years ago, December 14, 1992. He recalled that that day over the village of Lata in Gulripshi region of Abkhazia had been shot down the helicopter of the Russian armed forces with the humanitarian aid, which resulted in death of 85 people.
Further, the meeting moved on to discuss the agenda, in particular the organizational matters of the Assembly. Amendments were moved to the statute and regulations of IPA, in accordance with them the meetings would be expected not twice a year, as before, but only once.
In addition, in connection with the expiration of the presidency of South Ossetia at the IPA, this right in 2013 will move to Abkhazia, and a Chairman of the Assembly will be Valery Bganba.
Participants of the meeting discussed the current situation in Abkhazia, Transnistria and South Ossetia, the challenges faced by the States at the present stage of their development. They have made a statement where they consider as unacceptable the adoption of the resolutionby the European Parliament in terms of an ultimatum. The EP resolution contains recommendation to Russia to reconsider the decision on recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and requires the unrestricted access of the EU observers in these republics.
"We are convinced that such steps are provoked by the national revanchist forces of Georgia and Moldova and we`d like to express our concern about the position of the European Parliament and the U.S., which aggravate the military-political situation in the region" – is said in the statement.
In addition, the meeting adopted an appeal to the Chairman of the Interstate Council of the Eurasian Economic Community, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which special emphasis is placed on the need to focus on socio- economic problems within the framework of trilateral cooperation. The circle of modernization tasks, according to the Assembly, could include the creation of a free trade area between the two states, communications and infrastructure system, joint measures to tackle cross-border crime, general educational, humanitarian, youth and other projects.
At the meeting of the Inter-parliamentary Assembly has been stated the readiness of South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Transnistria to participate actively in the integration processes in the post-Soviet space, which take place under the leadership of the Russian Federation - particularly within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Community and the Customs Union. Appropriate appeal was sent to the Chairman of the Interstate Council of the Eurasian Economic Community, the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.
Special attention at the meeting was devoted to the block of humanitarian, socio-economic issues that provides practical steps for improving the welfare and security of the citizens of Abkhazia, Transnistria and South Ossetia.
The meeting participants have expressed their gratitude to the leadership of the Assembly of the Parliament of the Republic of South Ossetia, which chaired the Parliamentary Assembly in 2012, and have wished success to the People's Assembly of the Republic of Abkhazia, which will perform the functions of the chairmanship in 2013.
