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Separatists Collected Signatures in Akhalgori District for Geneva Negotiations

October 13, 2010
Mari Otarashvili, Akhalgori-Tbilisi

On October 8-9, Akhalgori district de-facto administration collected signatures of the district residents for the Geneva discussions. An official from the de-facto administration reported to us they had received similar directives from Geneva. They should attach those signatures to the appeal of Akhalgori district population to the government of Georgia to re-supply them with gas. The de-facto authority of South Ossetia will send the appeals to the presidents of Georgia, the USA and Russia as well as to Eduard Kokoyti and the co-chairpersons of the Geneva negotiations.

The Akhalgori residents claim that the real reason for collecting the signatures is completely different. “They do not care about gas; their goals are different. Does not the district administration know that the Georgian side will never pay attention to the signatures neither in Tbilisi nor in Geneva? If they are really concerned about the gas-supply, why they started the appeal with the words: “Leningori district was occupied during 18 years…” only after this phrase they request gas. Ossetian people state that Georgia had occupied “Ossetian land” from the collapse of the Soviet Union till the armed conflict in August of 2008. I did not sign the document. I do not know what the other people did. Not everybody can resist their oppression and several people have signed. Head of the administration Alan Jusoev and his deputy Aleksandre Baratashvili were collecting the signatures,” said a resident of Akhalgori.

“Do not believe it! … We started collection of signatures because we were ordered from Geneva,” said chief investigator of the de-facto prosecutor’s office in Akhalgori district Davit Gurtsiev and added: “We really think that Georgia had occupied Leningori and now it has reintegrated into the territory of South Ossetia, but we did not collect signatures on this purpose. We collected them because the officials from Geneva asked us to do it; we request Georgia to re-supply the district with gas. The locals incorrectly understood our activities and it is very pity.”

Russian company “GasProm” intends to open its branch “GasProm – South Ossetia” in South Ossetia without permission of the Georgian authority. It means, the population of South Ossetia will soon be supplied with gas. “It is political decision in order to further integrate the territory of the de-facto South Ossetian republic into Russia,” said expert Gia Khukhashvili.

“Yes, Leningori will receive gas from Tskhinvali but it will be impossible until next year because of technical problems. Thus, we want Georgia to supply us with gas only this winter,” said the de-facto officials from Akhalgori district.

Will those signatures work for Georgian side and will Akhalgori district receive gas?

Conflict scientist Paata Zakareishvili thinks that Georgian side will not re-supply the district with gas because of those signatures. The Ossetian side needs those signatures to show off before the international community.

Paata Zakareishvili: “Saakashvili did not pay attention to the request of 100 000 people who stood in the street and how can they attract his attention by those signatures? Saakashvili does not care about them. Ossetian people know it very well. I think, they need these signatures not for Georgian side but for Europe and America. When foreigners see those signatures, they will ask Saakashvili: what do you do with these poor people, why do not you supply them with gas? I am sure, it will work. So, these signatures are the way to show to the foreigners that Saakashvili blocks gas for Akhalgori population.”

Zakareishvili said the request of the Ossetian side “on declaring the 18-year-long occupation in Akhalgori” is beyond all logics. “I have not seen the text of their appeal and cannot say anything. As it was reported by media, the text started with the request of Akhalgori population to recognize the 18-year-long occupation of Akhalgori. It is absurd and absolute nonsense. If Ossetian people want to continue cooperation with local Georgian people, their action is beyond all logics and benevolence.”

“It is absurd to speak about the occupation of Akhalgori by Georgia. This is one more bluff of the Tskhinvali de-facto authority. We fully understand those people who signed the appeal and we also know how they were compelled to sign it. Of course, neither the chairpersons of the Geneva negotiations will accept this appeal seriously,” said Shota Utiashvili, head of analytic department of the MIA.

Utiashvili added that on October 14, the Georgian delegation will raise question of a very painful topics for the IDPs from the conflict zone and they will try to progress in adopting the document on the return of IDPs.

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