South Ossetia seeking to become part of Russia - Kokoity

Interfax ^ | Jun 2 2006 1:31PM

[x5452]

Jun 2 2006 1:31PM South Ossetia seeking to become part of Russia - Kokoity

MOSCOW. June 2 (Interfax) - South Ossetia's aim is to merge with the Russian republic of North Ossetia and to enter the Russian Federation, the breakaway province's President Eduard Kokoity told a news conference at the Interfax central office on Friday.

"The leaders and the people of South Ossetia defined their objectives a long time ago. The ultimate goal of our struggle is to restore historical justice, to merge with North Ossetia and to become part of the Russian Federation," he said.

"South Ossetia has already become a de facto Russian region. Ninety-five percent of South Ossetia's population are citizens of the Russian Federation," Kokoity said.

[KarlInOhio]

Not mentioned in the article is that South Ossetia is now part of Georgia.

[ChinaThreat]

Good point. Ossetia is tightly entangled in the whole Chechnya mess also. This could be interesting.

[x5452]

Not mentioned in your response is that it is governed autonomously, has a 90%+ NON-Georgian population, has been autonomous since before the end of the soviet union, was rejoined in 1989 with North Ossetia, and not only are ethnic Georgians practically non existent in South Ossetia, so is the Georgian language, as all state business in South Ossetia is conducted in Russian or Ossetian.

So much for conservative princibles though like Self determination, and the government being derived from the will of the people.

[x5452]

Oh and don't forget how Georgia cut off electricity to the whole area in an effort to force them into submission.

[Centurion2000]

Not mentioned in the article is that South Ossetia is now part of Georgia.

Think Georgia is going to be able to stop them?

[x5452]

They will probably try.

[Verginius Rufus]

What a tangled web we weave,
When first we practice to secede.

Georgia is a little smaller than South Carolina but has three troublesome autonomous regions, a legacy of the Soviet system--South Ossetia, Abkhazia, and Adzharia. South Ossetia has something like 90,000 people and is not much larger than Rhode Island, so it almost isn't worth Russia's attention, except for the opportunity to make things difficult for Georgia.

[Zhang Fei]

So much for conservative princibles though like Self determination, and the government being derived from the will of the people.

I doubt the Russian government would look kindly upon applying these principles to those of its provinces that want to leave the federation. It's a hard question. Georgia is a tiny country of 70,000 sq km with a lot of national minorities. If South Ossetia breaks off, the whole country could disintegrate. Which may be Russia's intent in funding separatist movements in Georgia. Is that such a bad thing? Depends on whether you're Georgian.

[Grzegorz 246]

Eastern European ping list

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FRmail me to be added or removed from this Eastern European ping list

[inkling]

Oh no, not the Putin "amen corner" again. I haven't seen one of these posts for a while.

[Lukasz]

Is that such a bad thing? Depends on whether you're Georgian.


When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I did not speak out;
I was not a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

Pastor Martin Niemöller

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

On other posts, some Russian Freepers have indicated that South Ossetia should be allowed to become a part of Russia.

However, I found this information on the Internet that seems to say that there is no real territorial continuity for South Ossetia:

"The Republic of South Ossetia is not a territorially contiguous entity. It is, instead, something of a checkerboard of Georgian-inhabited and Ossetian-inhabited towns and villages in an arc around the largely Ossetian city of Tskhinvali. The capital and most of the other Ossetian-inhabited communities are governed by the separatist government in Tskhinvali, while the Georgian-inhabited villages are governed by the Georgian government. This close proximity and the intermixing of the two communities has made the conflict in South Ossetia particularly dangerous, as any attempt to create an ethnically pure territory would necessarily have to involve population transfer on a large scale."

It would seem that the only solution is some form of population transfer (ethnic cleansing?).

Why can't we all get along?

[Lukasz]

Not mentioned in the article is that South Ossetia is now part of Georgia.


Wrong source, I’m not surprised at all.

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

Now that we are discussing Georgian-Russian relations, consider the situation in Abkhazia:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3261059.stm

"At the time of the collapse of the USSR in 1991, less than a fifth of the people of Abkhazia were ethnic Abkhaz while the rest of the population was made up largely of Georgians.

When Georgia became independent, supporters of a break with Tbilisi in favour of independence and closer ties with Russia became more vociferous. Tension rose and in 1992 Georgia sent troops to enforce the status quo.

In late 1993, they were driven out amidst fierce fighting. Several thousand people were killed. About 250,000 Georgians became refugees and are still unable to return. Most of those who remained have since left too."

Is is proper for Russia to support the breakup of Georgia by supporting in minority population of Abkhazia?

[x5452]

South Ossetia is not a functional part of Georgia. It's energy comes from Russia (As Georgia killed power trying to force them to join up after the Soviet union cumbled). 90% of its residents are citizens of the Russian Federation. Virtually NO ONE there knows or speaks Georgian.

You should really read up on these things before posting.

Georgia wants to crush the populace into using Georgian language, and basically purge the Ossetians from the place in a massive land grab.

It has never BEEN an integrated part of Georgia, and it has always been in the same country as NORTH Ossetia.

[x5452]

Is Abkhazia in Ossetia? No.

[x5452]

Why can't we get along?

Because Georgia has been attempting Ethnic cleanisng there since before the fall of communism. Hence the 'checkerboard'.

Oh and you may as well admit that you're source is wikipedia.

[x5452]

"The equal rights of man, and the happiness of every individual, are now acknowledged to be the only legitimate objects of government. Modern times have the signal advantage, too, of having discovered the only device by which these rights can be secured, to wit: government by the people, acting not in person, but by representatives chosen by themselves, that is to say, by every man of ripe years and sane mind, who contributes either by his purse or person to the support of his country." --Thomas Jefferson to A. Coray, 1823. ME 15:482
"Every man, and every body of men on earth, possesses the right of self-government." --Thomas Jefferson: Opinion on Residence Bill, 1790. ME 3:60

"Every nation has a right to govern itself internally under what forms it pleases, and to change these forms at its own will." --Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Pinckney, 1792. ME 9:7

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

Of course Abkhazia is not in Ossetia, but it is in Georgia and Russia did supporting the secessionists there as well as in Ossetia.