RESOLUTION OF THE CONGRESS OF THE PEOPLE’S DEPUTIES OF THE RSFSR on the course of implementation of the Resolution of the 3rd Extraordinary Congress of the People’s Deputies of the RSFSR “on the situation in the South Ossetia”

Due to the extremely tensed situation has established since December of 1990 in the South Ossetia, large number of casualties, refugees, destroyed houses and people left without livings, the 3rd Extraordinary Congress of the People’s Deputies of the RSFSR adopted the Resolution “on the situation in the South Ossetia”. It proposed to the Supreme Council of the Republic of Georgia to restitute political status of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast in all structures of state authority, to release arrested Chairman of the Council of People’s Deputies of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast Torez Kulumbegov and other unlawfully detained officials, to take measures to return the refugees to the places of their permanent residence.

The leadership of the Republic of Georgia has ignored these reasonable proposals. As a result, the situation over the last seven months has become more acute and reached the state of a real catastrophe. The capital city of the South Ossetia - Tskhinvali and the settlement of Znauri are under the permanent artillery bombardment. More than 100 villages and settlements of the oblast are given to arson and devastated. The number of refugees from the South Ossetia and other regions of Georgia is more than 100,000. Existing situation runs counter to the national and political interests of the North Caucasus in whole.

Taking into consideration the fact that the events in the South Ossetia pose the treat to stability and security of the RSFSR, the Congress of the People’s Deputies of the RSFSR decrees:

1. Together and in agreement with the Republic of Georgia, to take measures aimed at regulating the conflict in the South Ossetia, suspension of the activity of the illegal armed formations, raising the blockade of the motorways, return of refugees to the places of their permanent residence and securing the normal living conditions of the population of the region.

2. In case of disobedience on the side of the Republic of Georgia to carry out all necessary measures; the President of the RSFSR, the Supreme Council of the RSFSR, shall impose rigorous sanctions, including the economic ones against the Republic of Georgia aimed at restoration of human rights and conflict settlement in the South Ossetia.

3. To entrust the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR with a task of solving the issue on additional material and financial assistance to the refugees.

4. To address the President of the USSR, the Ministry of Interior of the USSR and the Ministry of Defence of the USSR to take measures within the competence of their agencies for establishment stability in the South Ossetia.

5. To propose to the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR to bring a suit against the Republic of Georgia on compensation of the assistance granted to the refugees from the South Ossetia and other regions of Georgia by the RSFSR.

First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR R. Khasbulatov

1 November 1991

(Bulletin of the Congress of the People’s Deputies of the RSFSR and the Supreme Council of the RSFSR, 1991, # 45, p. 1771-1772)