03.07.2008 Russia, Moscow. Russian Federation Council Speaker, the Just Russia Party Chairman Sergey Mironov.
Photo: Svetlana Privalova
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Russian MPs Start Struggle for Independence
// of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
Russian State Duma MPs and Federation Council members are virtually ready to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia. They will be able to do it on August 25. Yesterday Federation Council Chairman Sergey Mironov stated that “these breakaway republics’ remaining Georgia’s parts is out of the question”.
Mr Mironov made his statement about recognizing the breakaway republics yesterday in Vladikavkaz, where he arrived as head of the Federation Council’s delegation to hand over humanitarian aid to the South Ossetian parliament.
There is 255 tons of humanitarian aid in the stores of Russia’s EMERCOM in total. Yesterday the first consignment of 30.7 tons was delivered by plane to Vladikavkaz.
“If the peoples of Abkhazia and South Ossetia want it, and if President Dmitry Medvedev wants it, the Federation Council and the Duma will take the corresponding decision” about recognizing these republics, Sergey Mironov explained. South Ossetian MPs have already demonstrated their wish: they adopted an appeal to the President and the two Federal Assembly chambers asking to recognize the independence of South Ossetia. Mr Mironov reminded that South Ossetians had voted for their independence at a republican referendum a year and a half ago. Besides, the day before the Abkhaz parliament sent a similar appeal to the Russian government, and today the council of the Abkhaz people also made it the point.
Mr Mironov stated that “these breakaway republics’ remaining Georgia’s parts is out of the question”. Moreover, in his view, “Ossetians should not be two separated peoples any longer”. “All in all, the status of the breakaway republics will be changed soon,” he opines. Answering Kommersant question whether it can happen during the Federation Council’s emergency session planned for August 25 or 26, Mr Mironov was evasive: he said that the agenda hasn’t been approved yet. But, according to him, on August 23 an expanded meeting of all ministries and departments interested in settling the Georgia-Ossetian dispute will be held in Moscow.
Yesterday it was decided that the State Duma will open its autumn session with a plenary session on August 25. Representatives of all the Duma parties confirmed it to Kommersant. It need be said, however, that the Duma statute requires that the Duma council should gather first – it will determine the agenda. The meeting is planned for the morning of August 25. After it the Duma will be able to open the plenary session at 1 p.m. Given that now only the International Affairs Committee works in the Duma, the Georgia-Ossetian conflict will be the key issue on the agenda.
“Russia’s recognition of the breakaway republics will provide for establishing bilateral relations with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, concluding treaties on military cooperation without taking account of third-party countries, and develop economic contacts basing on the legitimate law,” stated Abkhaz Foreign Minister Sergey Shamba.
Natalia Gorodetskaya, Vladikavkaz; Victor Khamrayev
All the Article in Russian as of Aug. 21, 2008
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