Commentary of the acting in charge Minister of Foreign Affairs D.G. Sanakoev for RIA Novosti

On 12 February State Minister of Georgia for Reconciliation and Civil Equality of Georgia Paata Zakareishvili, during his speech at the Washington Carnegie Centre underlined that ‘ties of South Ossetia and Abkhazia with Russia are not natural and historic’ and ‘the only resource of Russia in the region is barbed wire’.

Historic ties between Ossetia and Russia last of centuries, while political unification happened 240 years ago. As for the resources of Russia in the region, it should be noted that besides safety it means economic development, social guarantees, cultural cooperation, high quality education, medical help, reconstruction of the properties that were consistently destroyed by Georgia for the last 20 years.

By neglecting and distorting the facts Mr. Zakareishvili is paltering the truth and confusing the International Community.

On the other hand ‘Georgian alternative’ is well known to us. Even during the best times of our coexistence within Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic the South Ossetians were always facing humiliation and oppression. In the recent history it outgrew into longstanding efforts to eliminate Ossetian nation by consistent implementation of the policy of state terrorism and large scale military operation timed to the Olympic Games in Beijing in August 2008.

Unfortunately change in the name of Mr. Sakareishvili’s Ministry does not give reasons to believe in changes in the policy official Tbilisi. Before talking about reconciliation and negotiations between our states, Georgia should evaluate crimes committed against people of South Ossetia, repent, compensate the losses, recognize the independence and state sovereignty of Republic of South Ossetia.