Ossetians from all over Georgia held an assembly in the Georgian-administered village of Tamarasheni in the South Ossetian conflict zone on July 22.

Over 100 representatives of the community attended the Tbilisi-backed conference, at which cooperation with the provisional administration was discussed.

The conference was held in a newly built, multi-functional complex in Tamarasheni, less than a kilometer from Tskhinvali.

Dimitri Sanakoev, the head of the South Ossetian provisional administration, told the conference, that there were two options: either confrontation, or cooperation and integration into the European family together with Georgia.

“This road is full of challenges, but I am sure Ossetians will overcome all of them,” he said.

He reassured his listeners by telling them that this road didn’t mean cutting ties with Russia. “We will maintain close ties with Russia and its North Ossetian Republic,” Sanakoev said.

He said that his administration would closely cooperate with the Georgian central authorities in defining South Ossetia’s autonomous status within the Georgian state.

The assembly agreed to select 15 representatives to participate in a government commission, chaired by PM Zurab Nogaideli. The commission has been tasked to hammer out with Sanakoev’s administration South Ossetia’s status.

Sanakoev also stepped up criticism of the Tskhinvali-based authorities and said that secessionist South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity “is denying a future to the Ossetian people.”

Meanwhile, the secessionist authorities have announced plans to hold a similar gathering, an All-Ossetian Assembly, in Java in the north of the breakaway region in September.