Georgia denounces Putin’s meeting with the de facto leader of S. Ossetia
By Tea Mariamidze
Friday, March 8
Official Tbilisi condemned the meeting of the Russian President Vladimir Putin with the de facto president of Georgia’s breakaway region of South Ossetia.
Georgia says the meeting is illegitimate and underlines occupation of the region.
Ketevan Tsikhelashvili, Minister of State for Reconciliation and Civic Equality says it is not the first case when such illegitimate meeting takes place between the Russian President and de facto leaders.
“This is illegal, a provocative step and the statement that Russia continues the occupational policy, but we continue making peace policy, "said Tsikhelashvili.
She also stressed that in such an environment, when Russia occupies 20% of Georgian territories and has its military bases there, talks about the strategic partnership are impossible.
“This [occupational policy] is probably important for Russia for short-term strategic political tasks that it seeks to achieve for broader influence, but this policy is going to fail because it is being carried out on the expense of local people’s interests,” the minister added.
On March 6, Putin met in the Kremlin with the Moscow-backed leader of Tskhinvali region, Anatoly Bibilov, and discussed deepening of ties.
During the meeting, Putin underlined that Russia and breakaway South Ossetia are “strategic partners.”
"We are doing our best to ensure the socio-economic development and security of the Republic of South Ossetia. This will definitely continue in the future too," Vladimir Putin said.
The Russian president said he was sure that "the parliamentary elections in South Ossetia will be held democratically."
"As we have agreed, we will send observers to South Ossetia for the parliamentary elections. I'm sure you will do your best to ensure that the parliamentary elections are held democratically,” Putin said.
This is not the first time Putin met de facto leader. Last summer, he invited Bibilov and occupied Abkhazia's leader Raul Khajimba to Moscow in order to hold “trilateral talks.”
