Social issues are the crux of the matter, and Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili has assumed responsibility for fundamental human rights in the two republics. There are many Russian nationals in their population. That will not be any obstacle to settling rights-related issues, reassured the diplomat.
He flatly denied allegations of US involvement in the latest South Ossetian developments: "Americans were never in the slightest involved in the conflict-at any rate, I don't know anything about such involvement."
Mr. Kemularia also denied other allegations, of conflict settlement grants. "No one has ever collected or allocated millions, let alone billions, of dollars to settle the problems. Money does not work here. Settlement is up to none other than the Georgian, Abkhaz and Ossetian peoples. If we agree to live together, no one will be able to thwart it. If we fail, no one will be able to help us," he said.
Georgia had every legal reason to start police patrolling of the Ossetian conflict zone, stressed the ambassador. "We have established police posts to fight crime. No joint commission can have any objections to law and order maintained."
There is, however, a statute of June 6, 1994, on essential activity principles of military contingents and military observation teams to normalize the situation in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone. The statute authorizes the Joint Control Commission to determine contingent stationing in the zone, and settle related issues.
"The stationing of military contingents and military observation teams shall be determined by the Joint Control Commission proceeding from the needs of cease-fire maintenance in the conflict zone," says the statute, which is to be found on Russia's Foreign Ministry official web site.
Georgia reinforced special forces and Interior troops in the zone, May 31. According to official explanations coming from Tbilisi, built-up military presence was necessary to protect Georgian border guards after Major-General Svyatoslav Nabzdorov, in command of joint peacekeeping forces, allegedly warned about Georgian frontier posts to be removed.
"Georgia deployed border guards without caring to coordinate it with the Joint Control Commission. Nevertheless, the commander did not say the posts were to go-he merely pointed out their illegality. What he said was not a threat, by any means," Konstantin Kochiyev, South Ossetian presidential adviser, said to Novosti.
Georgian forces will be withdrawn from the conflict zone, determined commission co-chairmen as they met in Tskhinvali, South Ossettian capital, a few days ago.
Co-chairing the Joint Control Commission are spokesmen of Russia, Georgia, South Ossetia and North Ossetia, Russia's republic.
