South Ossetian independence referendum, 2006

=Referendum=

South Ossetia, independent partially recognized republic in the South Caucasus, formerly the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic with its capital in Tskhinvali, held a referendum on independence on November 12, 2006. The voters answered the question: "should South Ossetia preserve its present status of a de facto independent state?" 99% of voters supported independence. It coincided with "de facto" South Ossetian presidential elections, which took place on the same day.

Parallel to the the referendum and elections, the Georgia-backed Ossetian opposition movement (People of South Ossetia for Peace) organized own elections in the village of Eredvi, inhabited by ethnic Georgians, in which both Georgian and some Ossetian inhabitants of the region voted in favour of Dmitry Sanakoyev as the alternative President of South Ossetia. [http://www.caucaz.com/home_eng/breve_contenu.php?id=279 Two Referendums and Two “Presidents” in South Ossetia ] ] The alternative elections of Sanakoyev claimed full support of the ethnic Georgian population.

Results

On November 13, the Central Election Commission of South Ossetia announced the results of the referendum. 99% of voters have supported the independence, and the turnout amounted to 95.2%. [cite web |url=http://www.regnum.ru/english/737823.html |title=99% of South Ossetian voters approve independence |publisher=Regnum |date=November 13, 2006 |accessdate=2006-11-27]

Reactions

The Georgian government has officially declared both elections illegal, but it is believed to support the Salvation Union of Ossetians, the organization in charge of holding the alternative elections. Kokoity thus accused Tbilisi of staging the alternative elections in order to create a "puppet government" in South Ossetia. [ [http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=14030 "Staging ‘Alternative Choice’ for S.Ossetia"] , Online Magazine - Civil Georgia, November 7, 2006.] [ [http://www.kommersant.com/p720847/South_Ossetia_Elections/ "South Ossetia to Elect Two Presidents"] , Kommersant, November 11, 2006.] [ [http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/11/DA873FC6-19F4-4A62-A156-A23EC91A2BC5.html "Georgia: South Ossetia Seeks To Contain Opposition Challenge"] , Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, November 10, 2006.]

The Georgian side considers this move by "de facto" authorities in Tskhinvali as a provocative and unconstitutional action, and warns that this decision will further raise the tensions in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone. However, on September 12, 2006, the Chairman of the Russian State Duma, Boris Gryzlov welcomed the appointed South Ossetian referendum and announced that Russian parliamentarians will observe the voting process. On September 13, 2006, the Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues, Merab Antadze, issued a statement, condemning Gryzlov's statement as "destructive." [ [http://207.44.135.100/eng/article.php?id=13539 "Tbilisi Slams Russian Speaker for "Destructive Statement."] Online Magazine-Civil Georgia. Retrieved on 13-09-2006.]

On September 13, 2006, the Council of Europe (CoE) Secretary General Terry Davis commented on the problem, stating that

The European Union Special Representative to the South Caucasus, Peter Semneby, also downplayed the forthcoming South Ossetian referendum and said in Moscow, on September 13, that the referendum would not contribute to the conflict resolution process in South Ossetia. [http://207.44.135.100/eng/article.php?id=13544. Retrieved on 13-09-2006.]

On the other hand, the head of the Institute of CIS Countries and the member of the Russian State Duma, Konstantin Zatulin, is quoted on October 2, 2006 as saying:

On October 2, 2006, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht said during his visit to Tbilisi:

On November 11, 2006, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said in a statement:

On November 11, 2006, Luis Tascón, a member of the National Assembly of Venezuela, stated during a press-conference in Tskhinvali:He also hinted that Venezuela might eventually recognize the South Ossetian independence:

On November 11, 2006, Sergei Fyodorov, an observer and a member of the Latvian Parliament, stated during a press-conference in Tskhinvali:He also made a commitment to inform the other members of the parliament of his observations.

On November 13, the European Union foreign ministers and the OSCE reiterated that they will not recognize the referendum and condemned it as unproductive. [ [http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/11/35827c07-977a-4f1c-be23-55c0ee595450.html "International Community Will Not Recognize South Ossetia Vote"] , Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, November 13, 2006.] An EU statement was later joined by Ukraine. [ [http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/politics/28.html?id_issue=11620966 "Ukraine does not recognize South Ossetia referendum - ministry"] , Interfax, November 13, 2006.]

References