ReliefWeb

South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity met Russian Ambassador to Georgia Vyacheslav Kovalenko in Tskhinvali on May 29 to discuss the current situation in the South Ossetian conflict zone, the South Ossetian Press and Information Committee reported.

"We pin great hopes on the Russian side's involvement in the peace process. We have pushed several proposals to bring calm to the current uneasy situation and we want you, as the representative of the Russian Federation, to assist in advancing these proposals," Kokoity told the ambassador.

Kokoity also said that a resumption of negotiations without any preconditions was necessary to defuse tensions in the conflict zone.

"Of course, the key reason for this tension is the so-called administrative entity [led by Tbilisi-loyal Dimitri Sanakoev]... However, any attempts of the Georgian side to divide the Ossetian population will yield no results," Kokoity added.

He said that Tskhinvali was supporting a three-stage model of conflict resolution, envisaging confidence building, economic rehabilitation and negotiations on political issues.

"We do not need an escalation of tension and war. We want to live in peace, taking into consideration the will of our people," he added.