TBILISI. Sept 26 (Interfax-AVN) - The provisional commission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) demands an international investigation of the August conflict in Georgia, said rapporteur on Russia Luc Van den Brande, who chairs the commission.
"This needs to be done in order to find out the truth. Although certainly the war did not start on August 7, there had been provocations before, and there had been up a build up to this war," he told a press conference in Tbilisi on Thursday evening.
"Neither party had done anything to avoid the armed conflict," he said.
"The conflict could have been avoided," he said, adding that the commission heard both parties who have 'diametrically' different views.
He urged the parties to be wary of using the word 'genocide' and said that, "the word 'ethnic cleansing' would be more appropriate in this case."
"What happened looks more like an ethnic cleansing," he said, adding that he became convinced of that during his meetings with residents of Georgian villages in the conflict zone.
"We talked at length with local residents who feel vulnerable and demand Georgian police patrolling, which should be done to maintain their security," Van den Brande said.
He said he saw very many demolished and burnt down houses, shops and schools in the conflict zone.
The Sarkozy-Medvedev six-point plan should be fully honored, said the head of the PACE commission.
"Russian troops must withdraw from Georgia, while Georgian police must provide security for the population," he said.
"The Council of Europe does not recognize South Ossetia and respects Georgia's territorial integrity, but in these circumstances there is a chance of holding talks with [South Ossetian President Eduard] Kokoity," Van den Brande said.
The debates on Georgia will be held next Tuesday and Thursday, during which the commission will present a report on its visit to Russia and Georgia, including the conflict zone in South Ossetia.