Six plus three: New articles of Medvedev-Sarkozy plan show Georgia acknowledged loss of Abkhazia and South Ossetia

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On September, 8, Russian and French presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Nicolas Sarkozy adjusted three additional articles for a settlement plan of the Georgian-Ossetian and Georgian-Abkhazian conflicts. The Russian leader stated Moscow received the EU guaranties failure of force by Georgia at a press conference follow-up to today’s meeting.

Meanwhile, Dmitry Medvedev pointed out once again to a necessity of abandonment unipolarity and impermissibility of dominance of any states on the international scene. “Even the greatest and the most respectable states such as the USA have no right to determine rules of the game for the international community. There are special institutions – the UN, regional organizations, they are to contribute,” he stressed. According to him, “the system of the international security failed in crisis situations just because of it is one-sidedness and unipolarity, because of the willingness to settle emergent crises by imposing decisions, by decisions that were made at the instigation of one single state,” the Russian president said.

In this context, the Russian president challenged actions of the Georgian authorities. “Once a certain subject decided to arm heavily, than he armed, fatten quite a big army and decided to solve an old complicated problem, which is historic-natured, at one stroke, using armed force,” the Russian president continued. “He received the ministrations of a certain state. He took an idiotic villainy. People were killed. Now whole Georgia pays for this.” “Now I did not take into account in what way this have been done -  at the suggestion of a direct reference or an ocular approval but I have no doubts that this has been happened that way,” – Madvedev stressed.

To remind, earlier, on August 12, the Russian and French presidents adjusted six articles of the plan on overcoming the crisis in Caucasus, exactly:

1. Non renewal of using force.

2. Final stop of hostilities.

3. Free access to humanitarian assistance.

4. Georgian armed forces get back to cantonment areas.

5. Armed forces of the Russian Federation draw out to the line, preceding the battle actions. Russian peacekeeping forces accept additional security arrangements before making international motions.

6. Beginning of international discussing of issues related to the future status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and ways of providing their stable security.”

The plan of this redaction was signed by Abkhazian and South Ossetian presidents Sergey Bagapsh and Eduard Kokoity. Though, later, after Sarkozy came to Tbilisi and briefed the Georgian president on details of this plan, the last one offered to correct it, especially, the statement about the political status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia saying it should be deleted from the text, pointing out that the mentioned regions are Georgian territories unambiguously. The president of the Russian Federation who called his French colleague agreed with deletion of this article, which was changed to a statement on necessity of providing security of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Thought, as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov admitted the Georgian side corrected the statement, exactly, added the preposition “in” to the republics’ names “in Abkhazia” and “in South Ossetia”, that changed the gist of the document cardinally.

Thus, French and Russian presidents amended their agreements with more two articles in Moscow on September, 8. Particularly, they look this way: “To verify obligations of all sides in full once again, to follow articles of the Medvedev-Sarkozy plan consisted of six articles dated on August 12, 2008.

1. Withdrawal of forces.

Withdrawal of Russian peacekeeping forces from five observing stations on the line from Poti to Senaki most in seven days, taking cognizance of signing legally binding documents with guaranties of non-usage of force against Abkhazia.

The full withdrawa; of Russian peacekeeping forces from South Ossetian and Abkhazian adjacent zones to lines preceding battle actions. This withdrawal is to be implemented 10 days after development of international motions in this zone, including no less than 200 UN observers, which should take place not later than on October 1, 2008, in case there are legally binding documents warranting non-usage of force against Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The completion of Georgian armed forces’ return to cantonment areas re to be implemented not later than on October 1, 2008.

2. International monitoring procedures.

International observers of the UN mission will continue to fulfill their mandate in the region of their responsibility in accordance with the number and the plan of their disposition as of August, 7, 2008 without prejudice to possible adjustments in the future by the decision of the UN Security Council.

International observers of the OSCE will continue to pursue their mandate in the region of their responsibility in accordance with number and the plan of their disposition as of August, 7, 2008 without prejudice to possible adjustments in the future by the decision of the OSCE Permanent Council.

Preparation of deployment of additional observers in South Ossetian and Abkhazian adjacent zones should be intensified to the enough number for the replacement of Russian peacekeeping forces on or prior to October, 1, 2008, including at least 200 observers from the EU.

The EU as the guarantee of a principle failure of force prepares actively the deployment of observer mission in addition to current observer motions.

3. International discussions.

International discussions, provided in the article six of Medvedev-Sarkozy plan dated August, 12, 2008 will start on October, 15, 2008 in Geneva. Preparatory discussions start in September.

These discussions will focus on thorough consideration of following issues, particularly: ways of providing security and stability in the region, the issue of refugees and displaced persons on the base of internationally recognized principles and practice post-conflict resolution, including any issue submitted with a mutual assent of the sides.”

As the presidents informed journalists after the negotiations, these articles should come into force immediately.

Noteworthy, the French president gave the following interpretation to the additional third article of the main document. According to him, international discussions will be held in Geneva under the UN, they will include “international discussion of Abkhazian and South Ossetian status.” In turn, the Russian president stated from the standpoint of the international law two new states for the Russian side – “we have prepared the proper agreement with them, including related to the establishing of diplomatic relations”. “There will be other relations, according to which, we will provide them with humanitarian, economic and military support,” – he stated.

Thus, the third article of additional agreements between Russian and French presidents brought back to life the sixth article of the initials document, spoken by announcement of Sarkozy, which was subjected to updating by Mikhail Saakashvili in Tbilisi, motivating that Abkhazia and South Ossetia are Georgian territories unambiguously and that is why the discussion of their status inexcusably at the international scene.