by Vestnik Kavkaza
Another round of talks on Trans-Caucasus security and stability has concluded in Geneva. The talks are based on agreements reached after the five-day war in South Ossetia and have been held regularly since October 2008. It has been the only dialogue format for Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Georgia. Russia, the US, UN, OSCE and the EU have been taking part in the process too. The signing of the document on non-use of force is raised at every round of talks. The sides have not decided which countries should put signatures in such document. Tbilisi insists that it should be signed by Moscow, while Russia says that Tbilisi should sign it with Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The West supports Tbilisi. Eric Rubin, US Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, said that the talks will concern occupation and the problem of displaced people. He reminded that the topics were the reason why the format existed. Rubin noted that the UN, OSCE and the EU had had successful talks, although the process was complicated and progress was insufficient.
Vyacheslav Kovalenko, Director of Regional Programs of the Institute for Caspian Cooperation, Russian ex-Ambassador to Georgia and Armenia, emphasized that Russia was still eager for constructive talks with Georgia: “We understand the difficulties behind Georgian authorities in terms of recognition of status quo. From the standpoint of common sense, there are hard times to search for compromise, there is a very little opportunity to make compromise decisions. But I am naturally an optimist and I believe that there are no situations without solutions even in such complicated conditions as the relations of Georgia with Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Russia.”
Kovalenko urged the sides to use even the smallest opportunity possible in order to achieve progress at the talks, such as resignation of President Mikheil Saakashvili, weakening of the United National Movement and strengthening of the Georgian Dream, a coalition taking the path towards normalization of relations with neighbours.
“Firstly, what matters is the new government’s message that radically differs from the hostile course taken towards Russia by Saakashvili’s party. Secondly, the fact that the negotiations continue in Geneva and all sides express readiness to continue them is positive because negotiations always have moments giving way to extension of opportunities for compromise. Thirdly, Russia took clear steps to improve the trade-economic and humanitarian situation with Georgia in response to changes of the Georgian foreign policy,” the diplomat lists.
According to his words, we can see that all the positive steps have started paying off, winning more and more supporters, improving the climate of bilateral relations. “Though it happens at microscopic rates, it is still a path towards improvement of relations. I think that the interest of Russia and Georgia is a head-on course, and it will certainly continue. Though, I repeat, complicated times and hard situations await use ahead. We will have to untie very tight knots of problems, but it is still a path towards normalization of relations, not towards degradation and aggravation,” noted Kovalenko.
He called an agreement on non-use of force between Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia an indisputable condition: “We cannot say how and in what form it would be done at this moment, but there will be no positive moves towards settlement of relations without guarantees of non-use of force or threats from Georgia against Abkhazia and South Ossetia. They will only wander around. I think that it is not the time, but it will come for sure and it will be a strong move that would boost development of relations, encourage trust and searches for solutions of problems that would suit all sides.”
Kovalenko denied assumptions that the signing of an agreement on non-use of force would be taken as Georgia’s partial recognition of sovereignty of Abkhazia and South Ossetia: “It is universally recognized international practice based on universally recognized international documents. Refraining from force and threats to use force are part of the four points all countries of the world are obliged to follow, it is the Helsinki Accords. If we follow the international law, why should it necessarily be considered recognition?”
“If Georgia wants to solve the problem, it should continue the steps by, perhaps, developing the position towards formation of common economic space of Trans-Caucasus which would include Georgia, Armenia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Russia… These states will find mutually acceptable solutions to territorial problems through intensive development of economic, commercial and humanitarian relations. I see a prospect for this particular course, and not recognition of status quo by one of the countries whole another one insists on being an independent state,” Kovalenko said.
“Independent states can form such close and mutually beneficial relations with neighbours that attention would no longer focus on independence of one state from another. Stress should be put on mutual benefits, high degree of trust, respect. You see, this is the formula for collaboration of countries of South Caucasus. There is no other variant because any other variant is a path towards confrontation, the path for war, unstoppable threats and building up arsenal,” Kovalenko concluded.
