MOSCOW. July 5 (Interfax-AVN) - Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said that South Ossetia's refusal to hold talks with Tbilisi is unacceptable for Georgia.
Asked what could lead to the worst scenario for the situation surrounding South Ossetia, he told Interfax in an exclusive interview on Sunday, that "Tskhinvali's refusal to hold talks with Tbilisi will not do. It's not like they are in Australia and are refusing to hold talks with us. They are on the territory of our state," Saakashvili said.
He said that "Georgia is determined to restore its territorial integrity and everybody must accept this."
"We intend to establish control over the Roksky tunnel linking Russia and Georgia, and, naturally, set up a customs checkpoint there," said Saakashvili. He also said that Tbilisi is offering "a serious level of protection for South Ossetia's rights - no less than the protection North Ossetia has in Russia, or perhaps, even higher."
Commenting on criticism by Georgian officials leveled at Russian peacekeepers based in the zone of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict, Saakashvili argued that some members of the peacekeeping contingent have been assisting smugglers. "We have had the head of the Russian peacekeepers replaced. A new head will arrive in the region soon and we hope he will behave better," said Saakashvili.
He said that the situation in Abkhazia is "more complicated than in Ajaria or South Ossetia." "Elections will be held there in October and no serious changes are expected to occur before the elections. I hope more realistic-minded people will come to power in Abkhazia, who will understand the importance of talks," the Georgian president said.