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TBILISI: Separatist States Meet At Forum In Moscow

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  • TBILISI: Separatist States Meet At Forum In Moscow

    SEPARATIST STATES MEET AT FORUM IN MOSCOW
    By Eka Basilaia

    The Messenger, Georgia
    Sept 14 2005

    Leaders from the self-declared republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
    (Georgia), Transdnestria (Moldova) and Nagorno-Karabakh (Azerbaijan)
    are meeting in Moscow on September 13-14 for a forum that some have
    billed as an 'alternative CIS.' The forum has been criticized by
    Georgia who accuses Russia of coddling the unrecognized regimes.

    Representatives of the State Duma, Russian political scientists and
    sociologists and representatives of the clergy from Armenia and South
    Ossetia will participate in the session, reports state.

    The initiator of the conference is the Director of the Institute of
    CIS Countries, member of the State Duma Konstantin Zatulin, together
    with the Moscow State University Department of Sociology.

    According to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, Transdnestria will be
    represented by the president of this de-facto republic Igor Smirnov,
    Abkhazia - by the secretary of the Security Council Stanislav Lakoba,
    South Ossetia - by the Minister of Culture Konstantin Pukhaev and
    Nagorni Karabakh - by the Minister of Education, Culture and Sport
    Kamo Atayan.

    A separate round table discussion organized together with the Orthodox
    Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Duma is also planned to be held
    within the framework of the conference on the issue of religious
    freedoms in the conflict zones.

    The Azeri online newspaper Day.az reports that the representative of
    South Ossetia in Moscow Dimitri Medoev told journalists the forum
    does not intend to create an alternate CIS as this belongs to the
    "realm of fantasy."

    "The main topic of the discussion at the conference will be the
    functioning and problems of secondary and higher education in terms
    of freedom. The second issue will concern the issue of Orthodoxy in
    free countries," Medoev said.

    Officials in Tbilisi, meanwhile, have condemned the meeting and blame
    Russian officials for organizing it.

    "The whole world can see the truth of who we are dealing with,"
    Georgian Minister for Conflict Resolution Goga Khaindrava said on
    Tuesday, referring to Russia. "The goal of the session is absolutely
    unclear. The main thing is that it is pointless," he added.

    Speaker of Parliament Nino Burjanadze also disapproved of conference
    calling it absurd. "It is a pity that we have to react and comment on
    Zatulin's initiatives. His initiatives as a rule don't comply with the
    norms of civilized societies and relations," Burjanadze said Tuesday.

    The Russian news agency Interfax writes that Burjanadze said arranging
    such a conference is not in the interests of Russia, as recognition
    of separatist regimes may serve as an impetus for destabilization in
    the regions.

    Russian media notes that in addition to the separatists leaders,
    legislators from Syria, Estonia, Palestine, Russia and Armenia will
    also participate in the conference.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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