Georgia concerned about the independence referenda planned by South Osetia and Transnistria

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia expresses concern over the intention of holding referenda on independence announced by the separatist authorities of the self-proclaimed republic of Transnistria and the Tskhinvali region. According to the webpage of Georgia’s MFA, cited by Info-Prim Neo, the head of Georgian diplomacy says that the plans of the self-styled regimes of Tiraspol and Tskhinvali contradict directly the constitutions of Georgia and the Republic of Moldova and likewise, the universally recognized norms and principles of international law. The results of the forthcoming referenda will therefore carry no legitimate or legal force and be duly assessed by the international community, the Ministry says. The cited source says that self-evidently, this “initiative” of the Tskhinvali and Tiraspol de-facto authorities serves to deliberately heighten the tension and destabilize the situation in the region, which, in the last analysis, will lead to disruption of the peace process. Georgia’s MFA reaffirms its commitment exclusively to peaceful resolution of the conflict, which, in parallel with demilitarization and economic rehabilitation of the region, can be achieved within the internationally recognized borders of Georgia and Moldova. The referendum announced by the self-proclaimed nistrean republic will be held on September 17, 2006. The international community disapproves the independence referendum, however Russia’s standpoint is not totally clear. The Russian Federation declared before G8 Summit in Sankt Petersburg that in case it will receive Tiraspol’s invitation, it will send observers for the independence referendum of Transnistria.