Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili presented a vision for resolving the South Ossetian conflict at the PACE session in Strasbourg on January 26. Saakashvili said: “our vision for a united and peaceful Georgia is based on respect for the desire – and respect for the right – to South Ossetian Autonomy.” Proposals include: A “distinctly broader form” of autonomy in comparison with the Soviet Union, and broader than that accorded the Republic of North Ossetia. A constitutional guarantee of Autonomy that includes their right to freely and directly elected local self-governance – including an Executive Branch and a Parliament for South Ossetia. Governance: South Ossetia’s parliament will have control over issues such as culture, education, social policy, economic policy, public order, organization of local self-governance and environmental protection. At the same time South Ossetia would have a voice in the national structures of government as well, with a constitutional guarantee of representation in the national government, judicial and constitutional-judicial branches and in the Parliament. Social Rights: Saakashvili stated that Georgia would commit to improving the economic and social conditions of South Ossetian inhabitants by:
Saakashvili also offered to enact a special law on property restitution that will make generous payments to victims of the 1990-92 conflict and said that pension arrears would be paid to those who have been denied state benefits. President Saakashvili went on to add that a special commission will be established to deal with unresolved property disputes as well as one to deal with allegations of crimes against the population and mentioned a guarantee of the right of those who fled to return and that this return would be backed by state-sponsored financial assistance. Security: Saakashvili proposed a transitional 3-year conflict resolution period, during which time: Mixed Georgian and Ossetian police forces, under the guidance and auspices of international organizations, would be established; Ossetian forces would gradually be integrated into a united Georgian Armed Force. Internationally-guaranteed process: The Georgian President envisages a resolution of the conflict in South Ossetia as an internationally guaranteed process, wherein: Pdf version of the statement is available on the CoE website. |
|||
Civil.Ge © 2001-2024