Interview of the Head of Administration of the President of South Ossetia Boris Chochiev with the news agency "Res"
- Mr. Chochiev, for 12 years you headed a delegation of South Ossetia in the talks in various formats. Please, comment on the position of Georgia and Western countries in connection with the signing of the Treaty between Russia and Abkhazia on strategic partnership.
- Lately, especially since the day before yesterday, the international organizations - the UN, OSCE, NATO and others, and, in particular, the Georgian leadership condemn Russia's actions in connection with the signing of the agreement on strategic partnership between Russia and Abkhazia.
I would like to say the following to those countries and organizations that want to "exert pressure" on Russia. After the August aggression of Georgia, when was formed the format of the Geneva discussions with the participation of Russia, Georgia, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, the UN, the OSCE, the EU and the US, we suggested that the key issue to be discussed should be a question of security of South Ossetia, attacked in August 2008, not without the knowledge of a number of Western countries and organizations.
Leningor district, again occupied after the August war, had great social problems. There was no electricity, gas,even roads there. So that our population did not experience these great difficulties, we asked them at the first round of the Geneva discussions to temporarily give electricity and gas to residents of Leningor district, but they refused to do it.
- Western countries and international organizations have been constantly saying, how they care about human rights, about improving people's lives. What was the reaction of the allied Georgia?
- They flatly refused to do so, because it was not in their plans to drive out the population of Leningor. Everybody knows that no one drove the Georgian population out of Leningor and the surrounding villages. But for political purposes, the Georgian side set a goal to represent Russia as the so-called aggressor, which allegedly drove the Georgian population out of Leningor district. They were supported by Western countries and with the help of some US funds, UNHCR and other organizations there were built more than two thousand cottages on the territory of Georgia near the border between South Ossetia and Georgia.
However, they miscalculated: through smart, prudent policy of South Ossetia Georgian population mainly remained in Leningor district.
We appealed to the leadership of the Russian Federation, and we were allocated funds for the power line in Leningor district. There was no road to Leningor district – we built the road too, with the help of the Russian Federation. The issue of gas supply of the district is also under consideration.
- Maybe, it was the position of Georgia and Western countries, and the international organizations advocated the signing of the document with guarantees of non-aggression by Georgia?
- I repeat, starting from the very first meeting we asked the international organizations to exert pressure on Georgia to sign the agreement on the non-use of force. There have already been held 29 rounds of international discussions in Geneva, and during this time they refuse to do it, and I am more than confident that they will continue to refuse to give guarantees to South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the non-use of force.
- How can you explain such irreconcilable position?
- If they refuse to give guarantees on the peaceful settlement of our future relationship, you need not to be a great politician or a prophet to conclude that they are preparing for another war.
Especially as because the military aggression of Georgia against South Ossetia and Russia in 2008 was committed under the existing guarantees of non-aggression, directly arising from the entire complex of international treaties in accordance to the May 23, 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, signed in the framework of the peace process, since 1992.
Thus, as soon as Georgia in the presence of the US, EU, OSCE and even the UN says it will not give us any guarantees of non-aggression, how should we consider such actions? The South Ossetian leadership is obliged to defend its country, its people. Therefore, we have addressed to the Russian government to sign a new treaty on a military alliance, united group of forces, improving social standards in South Ossetia, and so on.
- Are the accusations of Georgia and its foreign backers against Russia reasonable?
- Charges of Georgia and the West against Russia are without the slightest reason, and are only a tribute to the political rhetoric. I am more than confident that when in the future are analyzed the actions of the USA, the UN, EU, OSCE and Georgia in the format of the Geneva talks, their luck of professionalism and nonconstructivity will become clear to everybody, how it is clear to us.
One must not blame Russia, but the UN, OSCE, EU, US and the Georgian leadership which refuse to give guarantees of non-aggression against South Ossetia.
Why they blame Russia? We ourselves applied to Russia because of the actions of the above countries and organizations. Russia is a country that has never attacked anyone. Russia is a country that always helps those who ask for help, those who are attacked, who are threatened with destruction.
What about others, they cannot boast those virtues, humane attitude, which is peculiar to Russia.
Once again, I repeat, in the near future the parties will start discussing the new jointly developed draft Treaty between the Russian Federation and the Republic of South Ossetia.
