Belarusian Parliament set up a working group to prepare the issue of recognition of South Ossetia’s and Abkhazia’s independence for consideration

On November 5th the Council of House of Representatives at the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus determined to set up a working group to prepare the issue of recognition of South Ossetia’s and Abkhazia’s independence for consideration.

On November 5^th the Council of House of Representatives at the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus determined to set up a working group to prepare the issue of recognition of South Ossetia’s and Abkhazia’s independence for consideration.

Parliamentary committee on international affairs and links with the CIS has also made a decision to send its deputies on an official trip to Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia in order to conduct a detailed study of the situation in the field. Chairman of the committee Sergey Maskevich informed that the parliamentarians should visit the Caucasus in the second half of November.

He also noted that the deputies had reached a new stage when considering the recognition of South Ossetia’s and Abkhazia’s independence. “For the time being we can’t name the date of submitting this issue for parliament’s consideration. However, one more stage of the consideration has been passed”.

Chairman of the standing committee on national security at the House of Representatives Viktor Guminski explained that the working group would include eight people from the House of Representatives and four people from the Council of the Republic.

“We should not take a one-sided view of this issue,” stressed Viktor Guminski. According to him, one needs an objective basis to take a right decision that is why it is necessary to study the situation not only in South Ossetia and Abkhazia but also in Georgia. “We are faced with a huge amount of work. Three groups have been formed: six people will go to Georgia, three – to South Ossetia and three to Abkhazia,” said the chairman of the committee. The deputies will make a close study of public opinion, political and economic situations in the field.

Standing committee on international affairs and national security suggested examining Russia’s assessment of this issue. Therefore, Belarusian parliamentarians are to meet their Russian colleagues. Supposedly, their meeting will take place from 17^th to 25^th November, 2009.

Chairman of State Duma and Union State Parliamentary Assembly Boris Gryzlov believes that the working group set up in the Belarusian parliament to prepare the issue of recognition of South Ossetia’s and Abkhazia’s independence for consideration “will help Belarusian colleagues to take the necessary decision”.