The conference was dedicated to identifying ways and means to overcome the crisis in Russian-Georgian relations, as well as appraising the aggressive information policy pursued by Georgian leadership.
The conference was attended by president of ROO "Information Civilization – XXI Century" Alexander Starunski, deputy of the State Duma Andrei Golovatiuk, deputy chief commander of the Russian Army Lt.Gen. Valery Evnevich, director of the Institute of CIS Countries Konstantin Zatulin, former commander of the Combined Peacekeeping Force in the Georgian-S.Ossetian conflict zone Maj.Gen. Svyatoslav Nabzdorov, press secretary of the representative of Abkhazia's president in Russia Tatiana Mgulia, president of the Conflictologists Club Boris Podoprigora, head of the Center for the Study of the Present-day Balkan Crisis Elena Guskova, leader of the Social Justice Party and member of the Presidential Council for promotion of civil society institutions and human rights Alexei Podberezkin and others.
Opening the round-table conference, president of ROO "Information Civilization – XXI Century" Alexander Starunski said:
"The purpose of our conference is to hear the opinions of Russian deputies, academicians, military and public men and to find, if possible, a way out of the impasse in the relations between the two neighbors, two states, that used to call themselves brotherly nations. In the complex present-day situation a competent opinion, suggestions and comments, and ideas will allow us to formulate concrete proposals which we shall bring to the attention of all parties involved in the conflict.
No people would have liked to hear such epithets as "fascists", "imperialists", "drunkards" and the like which our Georgian colleagues have been trying stick to us. In any case, it is not a tone which might be expected of a subject of international law, so our emotional appraisal of the events comes from the non-constructive stance taken by the Georgian side. It seemed to me that our state, the Russian Foreign Ministry, the State Duma, The Defense Ministry and the President have been trying in their statements and appraisals to call the Georgian side not so much to order, as to moderation.
These days I have been constantly catching myself thinking that it is not just an impasse that we are in – the latest actions of the Georgian leadership are driving to a disaster the whole of Southern Caucasus and, possibly, Northern Caucasus as well.
One cannot but feel that the Georgian leadership has been stricken with militaristic frenzy imbibed with jingoism and a lust for national revenge. But it is inexcusable to set one people on another and to draw a third party into the conflict in such a region as the Caucasus were people are very emotional, where everybody still remembers the victims of the conflict. What is needed is a well-thought-out, sober approach. Under the circumstances, public, non-governmental organizations can make an important contribution to the settlement of the conflict. First, they can organize relevant public events and discuss relevant problems. Second, they can prepare and publish research and analytic materials that may help the Russian authorities to make political decisions. And third, they can work directly with the population in the conflict zone, telling the people the truth about the conflict and the events around it".
Andrei Golovatiuk, deputy of the State Duma and member of the defense committee, had this to say:
"I can assure you that the Combined Peacekeeping Force deployed in the Georgian-S.Ossetian conflict zone wields an international mandate for peacekeeping actions, and the Georgian side alone wishing withdrawal of the Russian peacekeepers is not enough. International law obligates the Russian force to stay in the Georgian-S.Ossetian conflict zone until the conflict has been fully settled. A change in the status of the peacekeepers is possible only by consent of all parties to the conflict. In this particular case the South Ossetian position is well known – it opposes categorically any withdrawal of the Russian peacekeepers from the conflict zone".
Director of the Institute of CIS Countries Konstantin Zatulin said:
"Georgian parliament has approved a resolution that does not ban Russian peacekeepers, but rather calls for their replacement.
We all see TV showing our soldiers being withdrawn from Batumi or the tank repair plant being transferred to Georgia. It all gets massive coverage, though not here in Russia, but in Georgia: "Look, this is our president Saakashvili bringing Russia to its knees". But no one here seems to mind …
Just now Georgian state minister for the settlement of conflicts Georgi Khaindrava, speaking on Georgian TV Channel "Rustavi-2" to Russian deputy of State Duma Viktor Alksnis, called Russia "a fascist state". If a state minister thinks fit to make such statements, he has no right to tread Russian soil without having made a public apology, and no Russian official has the right to meet with him.
Today Georgian leaders feel free of all responsibility for their words. It is rather hard to speak seriously to those people, until they get a rebuff, and a rebuff is what they need if peace in the region is put into question and the peacekeeping contingent is threatened. As soon as Russia stops being tolerant and all-forgiving, a new countdown will begin in relations with Georgia and its leadership.
It is obvious that the current Georgian leaders are irresponsible people from the viewpoint of security in the region, people who believe that it is only by using their own devices that they can have their way with Russia, that is, only by forcing it to the wall. Today we have backed up to that "wall". The "wall" is called "Russian peacekeepers in the conflict zone", both in South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Does anyone really think that if we withdraw our peacekeepers from South Ossetia, tomorrow we would not have the same problem in Abkhazia? It does not matter what mandate is applicable, though in South Ossetia it is based on the Dagomyss Agreements of 1992, in Abkhazia the mandate is based on the resolution of the CIS Council. The mandate would be of no importance whatsoever.
The present-day Georgian leadership has been brought to power with Western backing and is funded by the West. The US is interested in that country as a communications corridor, and also as a security guard for the Baku-Tbilisi-Jeikhan oil pipeline.
Today Georgia has no other way of "restoring its territorial integrity", which, incidentally, has never existed in its present-day borders, but taking military revenge. By fanning war psychosis over South Ossetia and Abkhazia the Georgian leadership wants to divert the people's attention from the very hard social and economic problems facing the country".
Deputy Chief Commander of the Russian Army for Peacekeeping Forces Lt.Gen. Valery Evnevich had this to say:
"In fact, the Georgian peacekeepers do not obey the orders of the Commander of the Combined Peacekeeping Force in the Georgian-S.Ossetian conflict zone, nor those of the Head Military Commander appointed by Georgia, but only orders given directly by the Georgian Defense Minister.
There are many examples of what those orders are and how they are obeyed. In particular, the recent detention of Russian peacekeepers in South Ossetia by Georgian military police and peacekeepers shows that the main thing for the Georgian side is not at all implementing the mandate of the peacekeeping force.
The Russian peacekeepers in the Georgian-S.Ossetian conflict zone fulfill their tasks in compliance with the mandate and regardless of the resolutions of Georgian parliament. The only thing we have changed is toughening the duty and alert regime and personnel training. It is a must, considering that provocations by the Georgian side occur almost daily".
