[Marxism] South Ossetia To Help 'Rebuff Forces Trying To Oust Russia From Caucasus' [WWW.S

["David Quarter" <davidquarter@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

[From Rick Rozoff]


http://www.bakusun.az:8101/cgi-bin/ayten/bakusun/show.cgi?code=6661


Associated Press
October 1, 2004

Region appeals to Russia



-[South Ossetian President Eduard] Kokoity...said that
a united Ossetian people ?would do everything possible
to rebuff the forces that are trying to oust Russia
from the Caucasus.?
-Russian officials have accused Georgia of harboring
Chechen rebels, and Russia?s Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov has even suggested there could be a link
between Georgia and the deadly hostage-taking raid on
a school in North Ossetia earlier this month, which
President Vladimir Putin cast as part of an effort to
foment war in the Caucasus and break up Russia.



MOSCOW ? The leader of Georgia?s separatist South
Ossetia region reiterated Wednesday that he wants his
province to join with Russia?s North Ossetia republic
and become part of Russia, the Interfax news agency
reported.

Speaking at a Moscow ceremony marking the dispatch of
humanitarian aid to his region, South Ossetian
President Eduard Kokoity said about 98 percent of its
residents are Russian citizens, referring to the
Russian passports that have been issued to the
majority of South Ossetians.

South Ossetia, a region in the former Soviet republic
of Georgia that borders Russia to the south, has been
de facto independent since breaking away from Georgian
central government in a war in the early 1990s.

Tension heightened after the new Georgian president
vowed to unite his fractured country after his
election in January, and deadly fighting between
Georgian and South Ossetian forces broke out last
month.

?It?s time to forget the words ?southern? and
?northern? ? there is one Ossetia, which will be part
of Russia,? Interfax quoted Kokoity as saying. He said
South Ossetia?s leadership would ?work on several
economic projects? that would foster integration with
Russia.

Kokoity also said that a united Ossetian people ?would
do everything possible to rebuff the forces that are
trying to oust Russia from the Caucasus,? according to
Interfax.

Russian officials have accused Georgia of harboring
Chechen rebels, and Russia?s Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov has even suggested there could be a link
between Georgia and the deadly hostage-taking raid on
a school in North Ossetia earlier this month, which
President Vladimir Putin cast as part of an effort to
foment war in the Caucasus and break up Russia.

Russia says it recognizes Georgia?s territorial
integrity over South Ossetia, but has warned Georgia
against any effort to control the region by force.




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