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Independence vote in Ossetia will fuel tensions: NATO chief
BRUSSELS - NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer warned on Saturday that an independence referendum in Georgias separatist province of South Ossetia would only stoke regional tensions. On behalf of NATO, I join other international leaders in rejecting the so-called referendum and elections conducted in the South Ossetia/Tskhinvali region of Georgia, he said in a statement. Such actions serve no purpose other than to exacerbate tensions in the South Caucasus region, he added.Georgias Russian-backed breakaway province of South Ossetia was preparing itself Saturday for the controversial independence vote to take place the following day as Tbilisis diplomatic crisis with Moscow simmered. Populated by a mix of ethnic Ossetians and Georgians on Russias southwestern border, South Ossetia has long served as a flashpoint in already tense Russian-Georgian relations. The Georgian authorities have slammed the poll and international observers have branded it counterproductive, while Russia has upheld the referendum as a legitimate reaction to Georgian pressure. The international community, including NATO, has strongly and continuously reaffirmed its support for the territorial integrity of Georgia, said Scheffer. I call on all sides to act in good faith to conduct negotiations towards achieving a political settlement. Peaceful resolution is the only way to achieve long-term peace and stability in the South Caucasus region.
Posted by: Steve White 2006-11-12 |
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