Five years since Medvedev-Sarkozy cease-fire agreement

On August 12, 2008, a cease-fire agreement was signed between then Russian President Dimitri Medvedev and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, which in fact stopped the Georgian-Russian War in 2008. Since that day, Georgia has been demanding the fulfillment of all the conditions of this agreement. Moscow, however, keeps claiming that all the conditions of the agreement have been fulfilled.

In his recent interview, Russian Prime Minister Medvedev hinted that the real text of the agreement is not known to the public. This has of course created intrigue as some analysts think that everything is known, while a secret document exists.

In his interview to Rustavi 2 Medvedev stated that everything reflected in the document has been met. The essence of his position is that the territory where the Russian army is located now is not Georgian anymore; thus, according to Russian officials, the agreement has been fulfilled.

Some Georgian analysts, however, suggest that another document also exists apart from the major document signed between Medvedv and Sarkozy, which is known to Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, but its content remains unknown to the Georgian people. Georgian analysts Mamuka Areshidze, Soso Tsiskarishvili and some others think so.

Why have not we seen the original paper or its copy signed by the officials the analysts wonder? The analysts welcome if either Saakashvili or Medvedev, or even Sarkozy will make the copies of the original documents available. Some other analysts, however, think that only one text exists and its content is available for everybody.

Either way, the document creates some uncertainties and leaves open a gap for diplomatic and political games. It is absolutely logical that these documents should become public sooner or later. Meanwhile, Russia continues its occupation of Georgian territories, Georgia has lost 20% of its territories, thousands of Georgian people have been ousted from their homes and became internally displaced, and Russia continues its aggressive slow annexation sovereign Georgian land.

This war represents the major failure of the previous Georgian administration.