Georgia's remilitarization may escalate tensions in Transcaucasus

PanARMENIAN.Net - The ninth round of International Discussions on Security and Stability in Transcaucasus is due in Geneva on January 28.



The discussion series were launched in October 2008 by the agreement reached between Russian and French Presidents following the August 2008 South Ossetia war. Discussions will be conducted by two working groups dealing with security and humanitarian issues.



The first group will focus its activities on drafting legally binding documents on non-use of force. The agreements will be signed by Georgia on the one hand and Abkhazia and South Ossetia on the other. Much greater significance is attached to giving firm guarantees to Sukhimi and Tskhivali, considering Tbilisi's military rhetoric and Georgian leadership's incessant claims for restoring the country's territorial integrity at any cost.



"In the meantime, it is necessary to resolve Georgia's remilitarization problem which may exacerbate the atmosphere in Transcaucasus. All responsible international players should realize the devastating consequences of double standard policy in relation to Georgia. The accelerated re-armament of the country may escalate new tensions, posing new threats to neighboring states, particularly Abkahzia and South Ossetia," Russian Foreign Ministry's press service reported.



Participants in Geneva meeting are Republic of Abkhazia, Russian, Federation, United States, Republic of South Ossetia, as well as representatives from EU, United Nations and OSCE and Russian Deputy FM/State Secretary Grigory Karasin.



The South Ossetian armed conflict broke out in August of 2008 between Georgia on one side, and Russia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other.



On the night of 8 August 2008, Georgia launched a large-scale military attack against South Ossetia, in an attempt to re-conquer the territory. The following day Russia reacted by deploying combat troops in South Ossetia and launching bombing raids deep into Georgia. Russian and Ossetian soldiers clashed with Georgian soldiers in the four-day Battle of Tskhinvali, the main battle of the war. On August 9th, Russian naval forces blockaded a part of the Georgian coast and landed marines on the Abkhaz coast. Russian and Abkhaz forces opened a second front by attacking the Kodori Gorge, held by Georgia. and entered western parts of Georgia's interior. After five days of heavy fighting, the Georgian forces were routed, enabling the Russians to enter uncontested Georgia and occupy the cities of Poti, Gori, Senaki, and Zugdidi. After mediation by the French presidency of the European Union, the parties reached a preliminary ceasefire agreement on 12 August, signed by Georgia on 15 August in Tbilisi and by Russia on 16 August in Moscow. On 12 August, President Medvedev had already ordered a halt to Russian military operations, but fighting did not stop immediately. After signing the ceasefire agreement, Russia pulled most of its troops out of uncontested Georgia, but established buffer zones around Abkhazia and South Ossetia and also created check-points in Georgia's interior, (Poti, Senaki, Perevi).



On 26 August 2008 Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russia completed its withdrawal from uncontested Georgia on 8 October, but as of 2009 Russian forces remain stationed in Abkhazia and South Ossetia under bilateral agreements with the corresponding governments. However, according to a number of European and US sources, Russia has not fully complied with the peace agreement because Georgia lost control of some of its territories. A number of incidents occurred in both conflict zones in the months after the war ended. As of 2010, tensions between the belligerents remain high.