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UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council on Tuesday mulled a new draft resolution demanding full compliance with the ceasefire in Georgia and a full withdrawal of Russian troops.
At France's request, the 15-member body began debating the revised draft that "demands full and immediate compliance with the ceasefire to which the parties have subscribed."
The text, which was circulated by France on behalf of European members and with US support, also "demands the immediate withdrawal of Russian forces to the lines held prior to the outbreak of hostilities (on August 7) and the return of Georgian forces to their usual bases."
The draft would also reaffirm "the commitment of all member states to the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders."
It was circulated after France and Russia apparently failed to agree on compromise language on the thorny issue of Georgia's territorial integrity.
"We have made a lot of efforts to find a solution," France's deputy UN ambassador Jean-Pierre Lacroix told reporters ahead of the meeting.
"But commitments have to be respected and implemented and that's what we will be talking about, particularly the commitment undertaken by Russia to withdraw its forces back to its positions before hostilities began," he added. "We are very concerned that this has not taken place yet."
"We decided to go for a short, effective text to try to move things forward," said a Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Russian side however stuck to its position that there should be no reference to Georgia's territorial integrity in the text.
Moscow argues that in the wake of the conflict, the renegade enclaves of South Ossetia and Abkhazia have made it clear they do not want to be part of Georgia.
Maria Zakharova, the outgoing spokeswoman for the Russian UN delegation, reminded reporters that Moscow wanted the six points in the French-brokered peace plan signed by Russia and Georgia to be included in the resolution.
"Our president has made absolutely clear that all six topics should be included in the resolution," she noted, hinting that the latest draft was not acceptable to Russia, a veto-wielding council member.
The six points in the deal brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy are:
- International talks must be held on the status of two breakaway provinces in Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
- All parties to the conflict must renounce the use of force.
- There must be a final halt to military action.
- There must be unhindered access for humanitarian aid.
- Georgian forces must return to their "permanent positions".
- Russian forces must return to their pre-conflict positions.
Russian Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday his country's forces could pull out of Georgia in three or four days if Georgia complies with the peace deal by withdrawing its own troops.
"The withdrawal will be determined by how effectively Georgia returns its forces to their permanent bases, and it will be determined by how the peacekeepers strengthen their posts," Lavrov said in televised remarks. - AFP/de
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