Leonid Tibilov: “We see the future of South Ossetia in the union with the Russian Federation!”

The president of South Ossetia Leonid Tibilov publicly spoke on the most important questions of life of the independent republic South Ossetia. He made it on the eve of the first anniversary of its introduction in a position of the head of state.

- Recognition of independence of the republic from the Russian Federation gave the chance to the people to South Ossetia to develop peacefully. For our state Russia was and remains the main strategic partner. We constantly work over expansion of external relations. The diplomatic relations are established with all states which have recognized the republic. The embassies of the Republic of South Ossetia work in the Russian Federation, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Abkhazia. The official representation of the Republic South Ossetia functions in the capital of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic.

We are interested in expansion of international relations in the sphere of economy, culture and tourism. The Republic of South Ossetia is the open state aspiring to peace and friendship with the countries of the near and far abroad. Recently our diplomats returned from a trip over the countries which intend to build the relations with South Ossetia.

… No doubt, those who for so many years were responsible for terrible events in the territory of South Ossetia, have to be responsible for the actions and have to be unambiguously condemned by the world community. It is a question, of course, of the Georgian management, of the armed aggression of Georgia against South Ossetia.

In February I sent the missive to republic parliament in which I urged the deputies to consider a question of development of a political and legal assessment to actions of Georgia against South Ossetia. Today the commission into which the heads of all committees, representatives of Presidential Administration, power departments and the government entered is created in parliament. The commission intends to consider and give an assessment not only to the events occurring in South Ossetia in 2008, but also since 1989.

… Now any interstate contacts between the Republic South Ossetia and Georgia are unreal. I already declared it and declare today again. It will be until official Tbilisi doesn't recognize the independence of our republic. Besides, Georgia is obliged to give a political and legal assessment to the actions in relation to South Ossetia since 1989 and to recognize the genocide of our people.
Georgia has to sign the legally binding document on force non-use. At last, Georgia is obliged to indemnify the loss caused to our country since the first armed conflict of 1989-1992.

The leaders of the Georgian state can't understand and recognize the developed reality in any way, namely that South Ossetia is the independent state and never will be a part of Georgia.

Unfortunately, the today's authorities of Georgia, “dreamers”, continue to dream of a revenge, hiding true intentions behind any peaceful declarations and actions of humanitarian and economic character.

Considering these realities, nobody think of any contacts with the Georgian party in South Ossetia. But there are Geneva discussions within the arrangement of presidents of Russia and France.

It is the only political platform where the official representatives of Georgia on the one hand and South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other, have opportunity to discuss questions both political and humanitarian character at a negotiating table.

Once again I want to emphasize that at this stage we consider the signing of the legally binding document on force non-use as a main objective of the Geneva discussions. Throughout 22 rounds our delegation together with delegations of Abkhazia and the Russian Federation persistently achieves it from the Georgian party. And from the solution of this question Georgia evades in every possible way.

… As a whole, we, certainly, see the future of South Ossetia in the union with the Russian Federation. As for the next five-year period, so I am sure that during this time we will finally solve the most acute problems and we will put the strong base for further social and economic development of our state.

The people of South Ossetia wait for bigger efficiency in power work and I’m as the guarantor of the Constitution, have no right to put them in a spot. I am sure South Ossetia has all opportunities to become the prospering state and to gain recognition from the world community.