On July 29, 2011 US Senate adopted a resolution «Of Senate attitude to ongoing violations of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia» that calls on necessary respect to the «territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia» and condemns Russia’s actions that ostensibly violates this integrity.
American senators once again showed that they are prone to draw up their policy on the principle of friend and foe. Unfortunately, arouses disappointment the practice of much talked-about double standards towards South Ossetia. It is surprising that US senators adopting a resolution on Georgia stubbornly refused to consider the backgrounds and the essence of the conflict.
It was highlighted in the resolution again the necessity of respect of territorial integrity of Georgia, to which South Ossetia and moreover Russia have nothing common with. One of the fundamental elements of the modern reality is the possibility of states to determine their destiny by their own according to their understanding of national interests. By this rule was guided also the people of South Ossetia confirming more than once its will to independence at the referendums of 1992, 2001 and 2006. Georgia has never had legal rights to the territory of South Ossetia, which was joined to Georgian SSR in 1922 against the will of Ossetian people. In XX century Georgia twice (in 1920 and 1989-1992) fulfilled genocide and ethnical cleansings towards Ossetian people both at the territory of Georgia and in South Ossetia. Over the period of South Ossetia being a part of Georgian SSR Tbilisi authorities were conducting a policy of discrimination, cultural genocide, violent assimilation, oppression of rights and freedoms of Ossetians. By denunciation of all state acts adopted since 1921, Georgia in 1990 completely destroyed the state and legal basis of South Ossetia being in Georgia. South Ossetia formalized its sovereignty in accordance with the international law after the collapse of USSR.
Launched by Georgia aggression of August 2008 became the conflict culmination between Georgia and South Ossetia, accompanied with atrocity and brutality over peaceful population by Georgian troops. Decision of Russian leadership to recognize the Republic of South Ossetia was the only right step providing safety of the people of South Ossetia. Russian military contingent fulfilling its mission on the basis of mutual agreements is the guarantor of peaceful life and contributes a lot in providing of stability and security of the Republic and is not an “occupant” in any way as US Senators claim.
In all likelihood US Senators do not really care about the fortune of the people of South Ossetia. And hardly are they interested in the problem of refugees indeed. In any event the resolution does not even mention 100 000 Ossetian refugees expelled from Georgia. Moreover US officials once again refused a visa to representatives of South Ossetia who could present position of its State on the issue of refugees and the ways of fair decision of the problem at UN.
Also US Senators state of the backing of ostensibly existing “constructive interaction and means of trust strengthening between the Georgian Government and de-facto Authorities in South Ossetian and Abkhazian regions” that is also contradict reality. There is no any constructivism in the actions of Georgian authorities in relations with South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
In whole an adopted resolution is more look like PR action, demonstration of its backing of Georgia, but hardly such statements will be impartially contributive to peace and stability in the region. Present officials of Georgia perceive such actions as an encouragement to revanchist actions and instead of deliberate policy towards neighbouring South Ossetia Abkhazia and Russia they resort to threats and provocations able to break a fragile peace.
Tskhinval, August 1, 2011